E. Roe Stamps IV announced as Spring commencement speaker

Audrey Coleman
Fri, 17 Apr 2026 00:15:19 +0000
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E. Roe Stamps IV in an undated photo. Credit: Courtesy of Ohio State

Ohio State’s 2026 spring commencement speaker will be E. Roe Stamps IV, philanthropist and founder of the Stamps Scholars Program.?

Stamps established the Stamps Scholars Program, an initiative that works to provide students with scholarships at over 30 universities across the world, according to an Ohio State press release. At Ohio State, around 50 students are awarded a Stamps Eminence Scholarship through the program.?

He is also the co-founder of venture capital firm Summit Partners, a Boston-based private equity firm, according to the release.?

“It is a true honor to deliver the 2026 commencement address to The Ohio State University’s graduating class,” Stamps said in the release. “Ohio State is an extraordinary institution, and through the Stamps Scholars partnership with the university, our family has had the privilege of getting to know many remarkable Buckeye students. I look forward to being on campus and celebrating alongside the graduates as they mark this important milestone and begin the next chapter of their journeys.”?

Stamps received his undergraduate degree from Georgia Institute of Technology and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Additionally, Stamps is a former Lieutenant in the United States Navy Reserve, as stated on the scholars website.

In 1984, Stamps co-founded Summit Partners with Steve Woodsum, until he transferred operations across several partners in 2001. In over 550 companies, Summit Partners has over $44 billion in assets, according to the company website.?

Outside of the Stamps Scholars Program, Stamps has connections to the University of Miami, the Make-a-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and is a trustee emeritus of the Georgia Tech Foundation, the press release said.?

“We look forward to welcoming Roe Stamps to our university to share words of wisdom with the Class of 2026,” President Ravi V. Bellamkonda said in the release. “Roe is a champion for the transformative power of higher education, and he has been an extraordinary partner in building a tradition of excellence at Ohio State. His lessons on service and creating impact will be of great value to our graduates as they prepare to take their next steps.”?

Stamps will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Public Service degree, with Tahlman Krumm Jr. and Edgar Lampert receiving the university’s Distinguished Service Award. More information on commencement can be found online.