David Kanietakeron Fadden Named Paul Smith's College 2026 Commencement Speaker
79th Annual Commencement Ceremony will take place on May 9, 2026
PAUL SMITHS, N.Y. (04/13/2026) — Paul Smith's College is proud to announce that David Kanietakeron Fadden, a respected Akwesasne Mohawk artist, storyteller, and Director of the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center, will deliver the College's 2026 commencement address.
Fadden's selection reflects the College's ongoing commitment to fostering education grounded in environmental stewardship, cultural understanding, and community responsibility. A nationally recognized voice in Indigenous arts and education, Fadden brings decades of experience preserving and sharing Indigenous history, values, and traditions.
In addition to his art and outreach, Fadden plays a leading role in the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center, a family-founded institution dedicated to preserving and sharing Haudenosaunee culture and history with visitors from around the world. His work consistently seeks to challenge stereotypes and foster deeper, more accurate understandings of Indigenous communities.
Fadden has a longstanding relationship with the College, including recent collaboration with scientist and professor Curt Stager on The First Adirondackers, a history of Indigenous peoples in the Adirondacks. He also played a leading role in the College's recently announced land-back initiative, a historic partnership with the Six Nations Iroquois Cultural Center and The Nature Conservancy that returned 600 acres of property in Onchiota, New York, to Indigenous stewardship. Fadden shaped and informed this partnership, helping guide conversations around cultural preservation, land stewardship, and the importance of Indigenous leadership in environmental decision-making.
"David's work reflects the same values we strive to instill in our graduates: respect for the natural world, commitment to community, and the power of lived experience," said Dan Kelting, president of Paul Smith's College. "His voice will resonate deeply with our students as they prepare to lead in a rapidly changing world."
Fadden's commencement address is expected to draw on his experiences as an artist and Indigenous cultural educator, offering graduates a perspective rooted in connection to place and responsibility to the world around them.
Commencement Details:
Paul Smith's College will hold its 79th Annual Commencement Ceremony on May 9, 2026, celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2026. The ceremony will take place starting at 11:00 am on the Great Lawn of Paul Smith's College.
The ceremony will recognize 150 graduating students earning associate, bachelor's, and master's degrees across the College's programs in environmental science, forestry, hospitality, culinary arts, recreation, business, and related fields. More about the ceremony can be read online at paulsmiths.edu/event/commencement-2026/
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