Sarah Lawrence College Announces Noah Hawley, Emmy-Winning Showrunner, Director, and Novelist to Deliver 98th Commencement Address

Sarah Lawrence College, the prestigious, coeducational liberal arts college celebrating its centennial in 2026, has announced that alumnus Noah Hawley ’89 will deliver the keynote address at the College’s 98th Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 8.

Hawley is one of the most accomplished auteurs and versatile storytellers working today across television, film, and literature. Over a career spanning more than two decades, he has earned widespread critical acclaim and passionate global audiences, receiving an Emmy®, Writers Guild, PEN, Critics’ Choice, and Peabody Award, among others, for his achievements as a novelist, screenwriter, series creator, showrunner, and director.

He is the creator, writer, and showrunner of FX’s critically acclaimed television series Alien: Earth and he is set to adapt Far Cry, Ubisoft’s global hit video game franchise of the same title, for FX. He also continues to helm FX’s acclaimed anthology series Fargo, serving as executive producer, writer, showrunner, and director. Across its five chapters, Fargo has earned 70 Primetime Emmy nominations and won seven. He is also the visionary behind FX’s genre-defying series Legion. His feature film directorial debut, Lucy in the Sky, was released by Fox Searchlight in 2019.

Hawley began his television career as a writer and producer on the hit series Bones in 2005, and went on to create, executive produce, and serve as showrunner for ABC’s My Generation (2009) and The Unusuals (2010).

He is also a best-selling author, having published six novels: A Conspiracy of Tall Men, Other People’s Weddings, The Punch, The Good Father, Before the Fall, and Anthem. In addition, Fargo: This Is a True Story, a companion book to the first three seasons of the series authored by Hawley, was released by Grand Central Publishing. Hawley’s upcoming book about how to build and use a creative mindset in order to take control of your business and personal life will be released in 2027.

Legion, Fargo, and Alien: Earth are produced under Hawley’s 26 Keys Productions banner, which established its headquarters in downtown Austin, Texas, in 2024. In 2025, Hawley was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame.

“We are so honored to have Noah as our commencement speaker,” said Sarah Lawrence College President Cristle Collins Judd. “He is the embodiment of the creativity, intellectual curiosity, and fearless storytelling that define the Sarah Lawrence community. His journey from student to an internationally recognized and lauded creator is a reminder to our graduates that the skills they cultivate at Sarah Lawrence can lead to meaningful, impactful, and rewarding careers.”

The College’s commencement exercises will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, May 8, under a tent on the campus’s South Lawn. For full details on Sarah Lawrence College’s 98th Commencement, visit the commencement website: https://www.sarahlawrence.edu/news-events/commencement/

About Sarah Lawrence College

Founded in 1926, Sarah Lawrence is a prestigious, coeducational liberal arts college that consistently ranks among the leading liberal arts colleges in the country. Sarah Lawrence is known for its pioneering approach to education, rich history of impassioned intellectual and civic engagement, and vibrant, successful alumni. In close proximity to the unparalleled offerings of New York City, the historic campus is home to an intellectually curious and diverse community.