Ken Anderson '71 to speak at Augustana College's 166th commencement

National Football League MVP Ken Anderson ’71 will present the commencement address at Augustana College’s 166th Commencement Convocation at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 23, 2026.

The ceremony will be held at the Vibrant Arena at the Mark, 1201 River Drive, Moline, Ill. Doors open at noon. No tickets are required. For those unable to attend, the ceremony will be live-streamed on the Augustana website.

For his achievements, record of service, advocacy on behalf of vulnerable persons, and stalwart support of his alma mater, Anderson will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters during the commencement ceremony.  

From Augie to the national stage

Anderson holds the distinction of being the first Academic All-America athlete in Augustana’s history, leading a list that now numbers 188, placing Augustana 14th among all schools, in all NCAA Divisions, in its number of honorees.

Anderson’s athletic talents led him to the National Football League, where he made his career with the Cincinnati Bengals, leading that team to its first Super Bowl in 1982, and earning NFL Most Valuable Player honors in 1981.

Countless thousands of people first heard the word “Augustana” uttered in the sonorous voice of Howard Cosell, who unfailingly referred to Anderson during Monday Night Football broadcasts as being from “tiny Augustana College.”

While still playing professional football, Anderson completed the J.D. degree at Northern Kentucky University’s Salmon P. Chase College of Law. He passed the Kentucky bar in 1982, the same year he set the Super Bowl record with a pass-completion percentage at 73.5%.

In 2014, he helped establish the Ken Anderson Alliance, an organization that works to improve the quality of life for adults with disabilities. It was formed to address a lack of services for individuals with disabilities, and was inspired by the journey of Anderson's nephew, Drew.

The student speaker at this year’s commencement will be Niccolò Benvenuto ’26 of Milan, Italy. A geology and political science double major, Benvenuto was selected from the Phi Beta Kappa Class of 2026.

Related events on Friday, May 22

• Master's Hooding Ceremony: 1:30 p.m. in Wallenberg Hall in the Denkmann Memorial Building 
• Senior Departmental Honors Celebration: 3 p.m. in Centennial Hall
• Blessing of the Graduates: A Baccalaureate: 5 p.m. in Centennial Hall
• Senior Send-Off: 6:30 p.m. at the Gerber Center