Stevens Institute of Technology has announced Emilio A. Fernandez as this year’s commencement speaker. Fernandez—an entrepreneur, pioneer, and emeritus trustee of the university—will address the Class of 2025 on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ. Mr. Fernandez, being a strong advocate for education and innovation, hopes to congratulate and inspire the graduates as they embark on a new era of their lives. Mr. Fernandez shares, “I am deeply honored to address the Class of 2025 at Stevens Institute of Technology’s commencement ceremony. Throughout my career, I have witnessed firsthand how technological innovation can transform industries and improve lives. I look forward to sharing insights from my journey with these talented graduates as they begin their own paths of discovery and impact.”
Mr. Fernandez’s career actually started while he was still in college. During his time at the University of Maryland, he helped found Pulse Electronics, a railway monitors and systems company that was later acquired by the Fortune 500 firm Wabtec. Following this, Mr. Fernandez continued his streak of innovation, and currently holds 27 patents across various applications. His patent pertaining to e-readers such as the Amazon Kindle is his most cited, forever altering the technological landscape. Additionally, Mr. Fernandez has taken part in the creation of several technology-related companies. In his current role, he serves as a managing director at Pulse Capital, an early-stage private fund investing primarily in technology companies.
Outside of this, Mr. Fernandez has had the opportunity to serve on multiple boards pertaining to corporate, academic, cultural, and artistic purposes. Amongthese include Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the Foundation for a Creative America, the Hispanic Business College Fund, and the George Washington University Hospital board.
At Stevens, Mr. Fernandez has served as a trustee for six years and chaired the Research Enterprise and Technology Commercialization Committee before being elected an emeritus trustee in December 2021. Mr. Fernandez also played a pivotal role in the development and endowment of the iStem program, which aims to help students couple innovation with entrepreneurship. In 2019, he was awarded the Friend of Stevens Award at the university’s annual Awards Gala due to his commitment and contributions to the university. In a full-circle moment, he will deliver this year’s commencement speech to recognize the hard work of this year’s graduating class.
