The University of Alabama’s Commencement Ceremony will now feature former head coach Nick Saban alongside President Donald Trump. Earlier this month, Trump announced that he would give the commencement address to the University of Alabama’s 2025 graduating class.
The event will occur at the University of Alabama at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday in Coleman Coliseum. It’s worth noting, though, that the event featuring Pres. Trump will be a separate, ticketed event on Thursday, May 1, while UA’s swath of ceremonies will begin on Friday, May 2.
Nick Saban to Join Donald Trump on Stage at Alabama Graduation
This unique ceremony is a part of a larger celebration for the spring class. It gives students the chance to hear from prominent speakers, including the country’s sitting president.
According to AL.com, the last acting U.S. president to speak at an Alabama college was Bill Clinton, who spoke at the now-defunct Birmingham Southern College in 1996, amidst his re-election campaign. Ronald Reagan was the last active president to speak at Alabama, while more recently, Trump has visited Tuscaloosa twice now for football games.
BREAKING: Nick Saban will join Donald Trump as he gives a commencement address to the university’s graduating class of 2025.
The event is scheduled to take place Thursday at the University of Alabama at 6:30 p.m. in Coleman Coliseum.
📷 https://t.co/TPyCZBERr4 pic.twitter.com/DxO4vtQooU
— Alabama Crimson Tide | AL.com (@aldotcomTide) April 30, 2025
While the summer and fall graduates and faculty staff can attend, the spring commencement candidates will receive priority seating.
“The ceremony will celebrate the UA class of 2025 and feature an address from President Donald J. Trump, along with comments from UA President Stuart R. Bell and Nick Saban, former coach of the Crimson Tide football team,”- the university stated in a press release.
President Trump looks forward to delivering a historic speech ahead of the University of Alabama’s 2025 commencement ceremonies.
It should not be surprising that President Donald Trump is no stranger to Alabama football. In addition to the game against Georgia last season, he has attended many high-profile games in the past.
While the tickets for the event are free, they are non-transferable. The doors will open at 3 p.m. local time, but due to enhanced security measures, it is encouraged to arrive two hours early.
KEEP READING: Nick Saban Shares His 2025 NFL Draft All-Offense Team, Including Cam Ward at QB
While Nick Saban has avoided politics in most of his career thus far, it will be exciting to see him meet with President Donald Trump, something he last did in 2020 when his national championship team visited the White House.
Trump has praised the coach in the past, even if he called the ‘Bama legend’ by his father’s name.
“He is great, Lou Saban. What a great job he’s done,” the President said once while speaking on a conference call supporting former Auburn coach Tommy Tuberville’s 2020 U.S. Senate run.
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
