SAN FRANCISCO — May 5, 2026 — Minerva University today announced that Adam Met, Ph.D., will serve as the university’s first-ever commencement speaker at its 2026 degree conferral ceremony, to be held May 26 at Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.
Met is a musician, educator, and advocate. As the “A” in the multi-platinum band AJR, he tours worldwide and brings infectious indie-pop music to millions of fans with chart-topping songs, including “Bang!,” “Burn the House Down” and “Weak.” As a leading voice in climate advocacy, he uses his reach and expertise to advance social justice and fair solutions to the global climate emergency.
He is the founder and executive director of Planet Reimagined, an organization dedicated to advancing research and strategies that drive meaningful climate action at local and global levels. In recognition of this work, he received the 2024 TIME Earth Award and was named a New York Times Changemaker.
Met is also the author of “Amplify: How to Use the Power of Connection to Engage, Take Action, and Build a Better World,” which draws on his experience as both a musician and activist to explore how communities can be mobilized to drive collective action.
In addition to his advocacy, he collaborates with policymakers across the political spectrum, including the White House and U.S. Congress, on bipartisan renewable energy initiatives. He also serves as a sustainability advocate for the United Nations Development Programme and advises organizations such as Climate Power and Reverb.
Met’s selection reflects a strong alignment with Minerva University’s model, which integrates sustainability across disciplines and emphasizes systems thinking to address interconnected global challenges.
Through its interdisciplinary sustainability minor, students explore climate action and resource equity from scientific, societal and humanistic perspectives, applying their learning through hands-on civic projects in cities around the world. This work is further supported by the Minerva Sustainability Lab, which advances problem-solving grounded in ethics, global awareness and long-term impact.
“Adam’s work sits at the intersection of creativity, policy and systems-level change,” said Minerva University President Mike Magee. “That combination mirrors how Minerva students are trained to think and build solutions for a more sustainable world.”
Minerva’s 2026 commencement will celebrate graduates across disciplines who have completed the university’s rigorous, globally immersive program. The ceremony will also feature student speakers representing the graduating class.
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About Minerva University
Minerva University is redefining global higher education through a bold, outcomes-focused model designed to empower the next generation of leaders, thinkers, and changemakers. Headquartered in San Francisco and operating across four continents, Minerva offers an intensive undergraduate experience that combines rigorous academics, real-world engagement, and a global rotation that immerses students in diverse cultural and professional contexts.
Minerva’s interdisciplinary curriculum emphasizes critical thinking, creative problem-solving, effective communication, and global collaboration. Through fully active, discussion-based seminars and applied learning projects in major cities around the world, students develop the habits of mind and practical skills needed to address the most pressing challenges of our time.
The university has built a vibrant, international student body representing over 100 nations, and graduates have gone on to launch high-impact startups, lead civic initiatives, earn Rhodes, Schwarzman, and Knight-Hennessy scholarships, and pursue graduate study at institutions such as Oxford, Harvard, and Stanford.
Minerva also offers a graduate program focused on equipping working professionals with the tools to drive innovation and impact in their fields.
Ranked the #1 Most Innovative University for four consecutive years by the World University Rankings for Innovation (WURI), Minerva is pioneering a scalable, equitable, and transformative model of higher education for the 21st century.
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