FROM ONU.EDU/NEWS__The president-elect of the American Bar Association, a distinguished professor emeritus of pharmacy, and a retired U.S. Navy captain who broke barriers for women in the military, are Ohio Northern University’s 2026 Commencement speakers. All three commencement ceremonies will be held at the ONU Sports Center Field House.

LAW COMMENCEMENT
Barbara J. Howard will be featured at the Pettit College of Law ceremony scheduled for Saturday, May 16, at 10 a.m.

Howard is principal of the Barbara J. Howard Law Firm in Cincinnati, Ohio, and the president-elect of the American Bar Association (ABA), where she will begin her term as president in August 2026. A board-certified specialist in family relations law, Howard has built a distinguished career focused on complex family law matters and collaborative practice.

PHARMACY COMMENCEMENT
Dr. Vincent Mauro, BSPh ’82, will speak at the Raabe College of Pharmacy ceremony to be held on Sunday, May 17, at 9 a.m.

Mauro is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Toledo and a highly respected freelance pharmacy educator. During his distinguished tenure at Toledo from 1985 to 2021, he served as Department Vice Chair and College Advocate, specializing in cardiology, internal medicine, and pharmacokinetics.

UNDERGRADUATE/MSA COMMENCEMENT
Captain Barbara Bowyer, BA ’76, will address the undergraduate/MSA ceremony guests and graduates on May 17 at 2 p.m.

Bowyer is a retired U.S. Navy veteran who dedicated over 30 years to military service and national intelligence. Throughout her distinguished career, she broke numerous barriers, notably becoming the first woman to serve as Director of Intelligence for the Pacific Fleet and the first woman from any military branch to command the Joint Intelligence Center Pacific. In these roles, she led teams of up to 1,500 personnel while responding to major international crises, including natural disasters and acts of terrorism.