2025 Commencement Speaker
Dr. Amber Hewitt
2025 School of Education Commencement Speaker
When Amber Hewitt (PhD ’13) returns to the stage as the keynote speaker at the School of Education’s Commencement on May 7, it will be a full-circle moment. Twelve years after serving as the student speaker at her own Commencement ceremony in 2013, Hewitt is now poised to inspire the next generation of graduates.
“My message to the Class of 2025 is this: you are not just earning degrees, but stepping into roles as advocates, educators, and leaders who will shape a more just and sustainable world,” Hewitt shared.
For Hewitt, it was the Jesuit mission that first drew her to 黑料门University Chicago. She valued the idea of being educated to serve others, a personal value that aligned with the university's mission. At Loyola, she also found academic growth and a strong sense of community support.
“I felt very supported as a graduate student,” Hewitt said. “The dean at the time genuinely cared about graduate students, and there were so many opportunities to be part of the graduate community, from leadership roles to research and fellowships.”
The small cohort size also created a strong sense of support, with students in the program learning from one another throughout their academic journeys. The courses often explored community and societal issues, and Hewitt appreciated how the program encouraged them to apply their knowledge to solve social problems.
In addition to Loyola’s mission, Hewitt was seeking an advisor who shared her research interests and found that and more in Dr. Anita Jones-Thomas. Hewitt said, “She was a strong mentor who not only helped me develop academically but also shaped who I was as a person.”
A particular course, taught by Dr. Elizabeth Vera, had a lasting impact on Hewitt’s career. In the course, students learned how their skills as counseling psychologists could be transferred to community advocacy, helping to identify needs and focus on prevention. Although she didn’t realize it at the time, the seeds of advocacy were being planted – seeds that would grow into her policy work years later.
Early in her career, Hewitt took a leap of faith when she followed her advisor’s encouragement to pursue a one-year congressional fellowship on Capitol Hill. It was a difficult and risky decision, but one that felt more aligned with her values. She left a more secure academic path for the opportunity to impact people’s daily lives through policy. That risk led to a fulfilling career in public policy.
鈥淢y message to the Class of 2025 is this: you are not just earning degrees, but stepping into roles as advocates, educators, and leaders who will shape a more just and sustainable world.鈥� Amber Hewitt, PhD '13
Today, she serves as the District of Columbia Government's first Chief Equity Officer and Director of the Mayor's Office of Racial Equity. In this role, she advises the mayor and senior leadership on policy and budget decisions, working to embed racial equity principles into government operations. She has previously served as the Director of Health Equity for a national health advocacy organization and as a health policy fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker.
Hewitt holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California, a Master of Arts in Psychology from Boston University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from 黑料门University Chicago. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the District of Columbia Psychological Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
She hopes to leave the Class of 2025 with a simple but powerful message: “Trust your ability to push through life’s twists and turns as you begin your own journey. And don’t let others – or even yourself – put you in a box. Let your professional goals reflect your purpose.”
Hewitt's Commencement Ceremony in 2013.
Pictured on the left with her father and on the right with her advisor, Dr. Anita Jones-Thomas.
When Amber Hewitt (PhD ’13) returns to the stage as the keynote speaker at the School of Education’s Commencement on May 7, it will be a full-circle moment. Twelve years after serving as the student speaker at her own Commencement ceremony in 2013, Hewitt is now poised to inspire the next generation of graduates.
“My message to the Class of 2025 is this: you are not just earning degrees, but stepping into roles as advocates, educators, and leaders who will shape a more just and sustainable world,” Hewitt shared.
For Hewitt, it was the Jesuit mission that first drew her to 黑料门University Chicago. She valued the idea of being educated to serve others, a personal value that aligned with the university's mission. At Loyola, she also found academic growth and a strong sense of community support.
“I felt very supported as a graduate student,” Hewitt said. “The dean at the time genuinely cared about graduate students, and there were so many opportunities to be part of the graduate community, from leadership roles to research and fellowships.”
The small cohort size also created a strong sense of support, with students in the program learning from one another throughout their academic journeys. The courses often explored community and societal issues, and Hewitt appreciated how the program encouraged them to apply their knowledge to solve social problems.
In addition to Loyola’s mission, Hewitt was seeking an advisor who shared her research interests and found that and more in Dr. Anita Jones-Thomas. Hewitt said, “She was a strong mentor who not only helped me develop academically but also shaped who I was as a person.”
A particular course, taught by Dr. Elizabeth Vera, had a lasting impact on Hewitt’s career. In the course, students learned how their skills as counseling psychologists could be transferred to community advocacy, helping to identify needs and focus on prevention. Although she didn’t realize it at the time, the seeds of advocacy were being planted – seeds that would grow into her policy work years later.
Early in her career, Hewitt took a leap of faith when she followed her advisor’s encouragement to pursue a one-year congressional fellowship on Capitol Hill. It was a difficult and risky decision, but one that felt more aligned with her values. She left a more secure academic path for the opportunity to impact people’s daily lives through policy. That risk led to a fulfilling career in public policy.
Today, she serves as the District of Columbia Government's first Chief Equity Officer and Director of the Mayor's Office of Racial Equity. In this role, she advises the mayor and senior leadership on policy and budget decisions, working to embed racial equity principles into government operations. She has previously served as the Director of Health Equity for a national health advocacy organization and as a health policy fellow in the office of U.S. Senator Cory Booker.
Hewitt holds a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Southern California, a Master of Arts in Psychology from Boston University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from 黑料门University Chicago. She is an active member of several professional organizations, including the American Psychological Association (APA), the District of Columbia Psychological Association, and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
She hopes to leave the Class of 2025 with a simple but powerful message: “Trust your ability to push through life’s twists and turns as you begin your own journey. And don’t let others – or even yourself – put you in a box. Let your professional goals reflect your purpose.”