Buffalo, NY - Canisius University announced today that Mekhi Edwards ’25 of Buffalo, and Ava Green ’25 of Herkimer, NY, have been selected as student speakers for the university's 2025 commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 17 at the Koessler Athletic Center.
Green will address undergraduate and graduate students from the College of Arts & Sciences during the morning ceremony beginning at 10:00 a.m. Edwards will deliver remarks at the afternoon ceremony starting at 1:30 p.m. for undergraduate and graduate students from the Richard J. Wehle School of Business and the School of Education and Human Services.
Mekhi Edwards is a marketing major in the Wehle Business School and has distinguished himself through exceptional academic achievement and campus involvement. As a teacher assistant for the Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) Masterclass, Edwards mentored fellow students in developing marketing strategies, and building skills in client management, creative development, and digital marketing tactics.
The IMC Masterclass operates similar to a real-life integrated marketing communications agency, where accepted students develop, launch, and manage marketing and communications strategies for real clients. One such client is Future in Our Hands (FIOH) USA, a Buffalo-founded nonprofit that funds life-giving projects in Kenya and Zambia. Edwards initially served as a marketing team member intern with FIOH through the IMC Masterclass. In this role, he spearheaded awareness and fundraising initiatives. Edwards’ commitment to the organization’s mission led to his appointment as a Board Member, where he continues to support this volunteer-driven organization that directs 100% of donations to enriching and sustaining lives abroad.
Edwards is also an active member of Canisius University’s Afro-American Society. He currently works as a digital marketing specialist at Sprint Marketer.
Ava Green is a journalism major and English minor in the College of Arts and Sciences. She has made a significant impact at Canisius through academic excellence and co-curricular leadership.
As editor-in-chief of The Griffin, Green oversees the weekly production of the university’s student newspaper and provides mentorship to fellow student writers. She also serves as a team learning proctor in the English Department and as a peer mentor in the First Year Experience program – a required course designed to teach academic strategies, introduce students to campus resources, and foster a sense of community.
Outside the classroom, Green is a social media content creator for the university’s Admissions Office. She is an active member of Phi Sigma Sigma, a national sorority committed to learning, service and sisterhood, as well as Lambda Pi Eta, the National Communication Association Honor Society. In fall 2024, Green was inducted to Canisius University’s DiGamma Honor Society, which recognizes students for outstanding academic achievement, leadership and service to the Canisius community.
Canisius was founded in 1870 in Buffalo, NY, and is one of 27 Jesuit colleges and universities in the U.S. Consistently ranked among the top institutions in the Northeast, Canisius offers undergraduate, graduate and pre-professional programs distinguished by close student-faculty collaboration, mentoring and an emphasis on ethical, purpose-driven leadership.
