Shane Burcaw, Class of 2014, a nationally recognized advocate and author, named Commencement speaker

BETHLEHEM, PA, April 15, 2025: Today, Moravian University announced it will hold its on-campus Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 3, at 10:00 a.m. on John Makuvek Field, located on its Main Street campus. The Commencement speaker addressing this year’s graduates will be Shane Burcaw, Class of 2014, a nationally recognized advocate, author, and content creator on topics like ableism, accessibility, and relationships. Along with his wife, Hannah, Mr. Burcaw oversees a YouTube channel called Squirmy and Grubs on which the pair combine information and humor to educate people about disability and share their perspective on interabled relationships. The social media reach of the Squirmy and Grubs channel is vast, including more than 1.8 million subscribers and more than 800 million views.

“I’m honored to be speaking at commencement for my alma mater,” said Shane Burcaw. “Moravian provided me with the tools and passion to become the advocate I am today.”

The 283rd Commencement ceremony will be the final event of the weekend to celebrate new Moravian University graduates, following Intercultural Graduation and Baccalaureate, both being held on Friday, May 2. Shane Burcaw will be awarded the Honorary Degree of Humane Letters by President Bryon Grigsby during the commencement ceremony.

“We look forward to celebrating this year with a special alumnus in Shane Burcaw coming back to address all of the graduates,” said Bryon Grigsby, president of Moravian University. “Shane is making his mark on the world as a tremendous advocate for those with disabilities. His use of humor to share his message is something I’ve been following since he left campus, and May 3rd will be a special day to welcome Shane back to Bethlehem.”

Cielo Disla, Class of 2025, will make a statement to bachelor’s degree candidates, and Bruce Glathorn, Class of 2025, will make a statement to all of the graduate degree candidates.

Learn more:

To learn more about Shane Burcaw, please visit squirmyandgrubs.com.

For more information about Moravian University Commencement, please visit moravian.edu/commencement.

In the event of inclement weather, visit the Family & Friends page for severe-weather plan information: moravian.edu/commencement/family-and-friends.

Commencement Weekend event details:

Intercultural Graduation
Friday, May 2, 2025, at 12:00 p.m.
Foy Concert Hall
342 Main Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Baccalaureate
Friday, May 2, 2025, at 5:00 p.m.
Central Moravian Church
73 W. Church Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Moravian University’s 283rd Commencement
Saturday, May 3, 2025, at 10:00 a.m.
Main Street campus, John Makuvek Field
Across from 221 W. Locust Street, Bethlehem, PA 18018

Media contact:

Moravian University
Michael Corr
corrm@moravian.edu
610-861-1365

About Moravian University
Moravian University, located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, is the nation’s sixth-oldest university and offers undergraduate and graduate degrees and certificates. For more than 280 years, the university has been preparing students for reflective lives, fulfilling careers, and transformative leadership in a world of change. Moravian University is a member of The New American Colleges and Universities (NACU), a national consortium of private comprehensive colleges and universities working together to graduate extraordinary professionals for a global workforce and society.

In 2024, Moravian University became part of a World Heritage designation when Moravian Church Settlements — Bethlehem, Gracehill (Northern Ireland, UK), and Herrnhut (Saxony, Germany) joined Christiansfeld (Denmark) as a single World Heritage Site—Moravian Church Settlements. Moravian is just the second university in the United States to be part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site designation and only the eighth university in the world to have this recognition.

Visit moravian.edu to learn more about how Moravian University prepares its students for lifelong success.

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