UCLA alumnus and Grammy Award-winning musician Sara Bareilles will speak at the College of Letters and Science commencement ceremonies June 13. 

Bareilles, who graduated from UCLA with a bachelor’s degree in communication in 2003, will deliver the keynote speech at each of the three UCLA College commencement ceremonies, which are scheduled for 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. in Pauley Pavilion. During her time at UCLA, Bareilles participated in Awaken A Cappella – the first a cappella group on campus – and won UCLA’s annual Spring Sing showcase as a solo act in 2000 and 2003. 

“Sara Bareilles is an extraordinary artist and storyteller, and we are thrilled to welcome her back to UCLA for this year’s commencement,” said Miguel García-Garibay, the UCLA College’s senior dean as well as dean of physical sciences, in a Tuesday morning press release. “Her journey highlights the importance of creativity and perseverance—messages that are sure to resonate with graduates as they step into the next chapter of their lives.” 

Bareilles released “Love Song,” the lead single off her second studio album, in 2007. The song peaked at No. 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 and gave her a Grammy nomination for Song of the Year. She has since earned several other Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year for her 2013 album “The Blessed Unrest” and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Brave.” 

[Related: UCLA alumna Sara Bareilles finishes tour with intimate performance]

Since then, the singer-songwriter has composed the music and lyrics for the Broadway production “Waitress” – which debuted in 2015 – and worked on the original score for the 2016 “SpongeBob Square Pants: The Broadway Musical.” She has also toured with fellow Bruins from the band Maroon 5 whom she met during her time in Westwood. 

Bareilles has played several roles on television, including Dawn Solano in the musical comedy “Girls5eva,” an episode of Apple TV+ series “Little Voice” and Mary Magdalene in NBC’s broadcast of “Jesus Christ Superstar Live in Concert” – for which she was nominated for the Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie. 

Bareilles has voiced support for the LGBTQ+ community, including through the anthem “Brave,” which was written for a friend who was struggling with the decision to come out. She has also advocated for mental health awareness by talking about her own experiences with depression and anxiety. 

“My time at UCLA held some of the most treasured years of my life. In many ways it still shapes the person I have become and am still becoming,” Bareilles said in the press release. “I feel so honored to get to share in this deeply meaningful time of transition for all the graduates, and to celebrate all the hard work, creativity, dedication, and resilience that helped them arrive at this very special day.”