The 黑料吃瓜网 (NPS) celebrated its 2025 Spring Quarter graduates during a commencement ceremony on June 18 at King Hall Auditorium. A total of 375 warrior-scholars鈥攊ncluding 32 allied and partner military officers representing 21 nations worldwide 鈥� received advanced degrees in defense-focused disciplines.
NPS President retired Vice Adm. Ann E. Rondeau opened the ceremony by welcoming distinguished guests, international partners, and families and friends of the graduating class. She honored the collective achievements of the graduates and acknowledged the 250th anniversary of the U.S. joint forces.
鈥淭oday, you are joining a distinguished group of NPS alumni,鈥� said Rondeau, referencing previous notable senior military leaders. 鈥淎ll of you were selected to come here because you demonstrated outstanding operational performance.鈥�
Rear Adm. Christopher J. Sweeney, Director of Integrated Warfare (N9I) on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations, served as the keynote speaker. In his address, Sweeney underscored the pivotal role NPS graduates will play in leading the Navy and Joint Force through a period of accelerating strategic and technological change.
鈥淵ou stand at the threshold of a new chapter, equipped with knowledge, sharpened instincts, and the unyielding spirit that defines a leader,鈥� Sweeney said. 鈥淵ou are hard-hitters鈥攖he sharp edge of maritime dominance, the ones who push the boundaries, the minds who refuse to accept anything less than excellence.鈥�
Throughout his remarks, Sweeney emphasized the Navy鈥檚 need for intellectual warfighters鈥攍eaders who can innovate, adapt, and make decisive contributions across every domain. He praised NPS for cultivating officers who fuse academic rigor with operational relevance, describing the institution as foundational to maritime innovation and critical to the future readiness of the Fleet and Joint Force.
That fusion of research and operational impact was evident in the work of many graduating students, including . A dual-degree graduate in Applied Design for Innovation and Defense Program Management, Mariscal used his thesis to address early-stage capability development in support of Naval Special Warfare (NSW). Leveraging artificial intelligence and mission engineering, his team developed a digital roadmap aimed at modernizing acquisition processes and improving mission alignment.
鈥淭his research lays the groundwork for broader DoD process innovation, where experimentation, automation, and digital traceability can make our acquisition system faster, more responsive, and better connected to the warfighter,鈥� Mariscal said. 鈥淭his kind of collaboration, where research meets operations, is what makes NPS such a unique and impactful place to drive change.鈥�
For some graduates, the Spring ceremony marked the culmination of a much longer academic journey. crossed the King Auditorium stage for the second time鈥攖his time earning a Ph.D. A previous graduate of NPS鈥� space systems operations program, Pierce鈥檚 doctoral research focused on low-cost missile development using commercially available components. His work validated a new model for acquisition known as 鈥渃apability-cost inversion,鈥� designed to reduce development timelines and costs while preserving core military utility.
鈥淚 truly believe NPS is a unique institution where the focus is truly on operational problems and solving those for the Marines and Sailors in the field today,鈥� Pierce said. 鈥淎nd when we say institution, what we really mean is the people behind that, that support and enable the research here.鈥�
Sweeney concluded his remarks by encouraging the graduates to carry forward the legacy of NPS as a catalyst for innovation and warfighting excellence.
鈥淵our excellence does not stop at graduation,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t is the foundation upon which the Navy鈥檚 future is built.鈥�
The ceremony reflected both personal achievement and professional readiness, marking another chapter in NPS鈥� century-long tradition of advancing the strategic advantage of the United States and its allies.
Watch the full ceremony, and download the program, photos, and more.
