Saint Louis University One-Ups Wash U, Inks Jon Hamm for Commencement

He's not only famous, but also true-blue St. Louis

Apr 5, 2024 at 12:39 pm

Jon Hamm is coming to Saint Louis University to share his wisdom with its 2024 graduates. via amctv.com

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One week after Washington University announced it had secured a beloved celebrity to give this year's commencement address, Saint Louis University has upped the ante: The Jesuit university has enlisted a beloved and smoking hot celebrity to give its address. And its choice is also a St. Louis native.

Take that, Wash U!

Yes, SLU announced today that none other than Jon Hamm will speak at its commencement. The ceremony is set for 9 a.m. on Saturday, May 18. For all you lookie-loos who don't have a SLU student to mooch tickets off of, it's also streaming online via the university's YouTube channel.

Best known for his starring role on Mad Men (and for being, yes, smoking hot), Hamm has long been one of St. Louis' best ambassadors, wearing his Cardinals cap all around Los Angeles and also showing up at numerous local events. He even agreed to interview Neil Gaiman on stage for the St. Louis Literary Awards before scheduling conflicts forced him to bow out.

Hamm is a graduate of, and former teacher at, John Burroughs School in Ladue, where SLU tells us he was a member of the football, baseball and swim teams. He earned his bachelor's degree in English from the University of Missouri.

Wash U announced last week that comedian Jennifer Coolidge would give its commencement on May 13. She'll also receive an honorary doctorate of fine arts. SLU's release says only that Hamm will receive an honorary degree, without specifying the title. But we sure hope it's a doctorate — not just because he's every bit as funny as Jennifer Coolidge, but also because "Dr. Hamm" certainly has a nice (smoking hot) ring.

Slideshow

37 Famous People Who Went to High School in St. Louis

John Goodman (actor ) Affton High School Photo credit: Jack polletta / Flickr

Karlie Kloss (model) Webster Groves High School Photo credit: cropped version of a photo from Ivano Bellini / Flickr

Jon Hamm (actor) John Burroughs High School Photo credit: Ross / Flickr

Andy Cohen (television and radio host) Clayton High School Photo credit: screengrab from YouTube

Jack Dorsey (founder and CEO of Twitter and Square) Bishop DuBourg High School Photo credit: Tom Hellauer

Jenna Fischer (actor) Nerinx Hall High School Photo credit: Tinseltown / Shutterstock

Phyllis Smith (actor) Cleveland Junior Naval Academy Photo credit: Featureflash Photo Agency / Shutterstock

Click to View 37 slides

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About The Author

Sarah Fenske

Sarah Fenske is the executive editor of the RFT and its sister papers. She is the former host of St. Louis on the Air and continues to host its Legal Roundtable, as well participating as an occasional panelist on Nine PBS' Donnybrook. She lives in St. Louis.

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