Martin Jarmond to Deliver 2024 Commencement Address

Martin Jarmond, standing with hands clasped, atop UCLA's Janss Steps
Martin Jarmond, M.B.A., M.A., the Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics at UCLA, will deliver the UCLA School of Dentistry’s 2024 commencement address on Sunday, June 2, at 10 a.m. in Royce Hall.
April 30, 2024

Martin Jarmond, M.B.A., M.A., the Alice and Nahum Lainer Family Director of Athletics at UCLA, will deliver the UCLA School of Dentistry’s 2024 commencement address on Sunday, June 2, at 10 a.m. in Royce Hall.

A nationally recognized leader in college sports, Jarmond was appointed the Bruins’ ninth athletics director in May 2020 after holding the same role at Boston College. Guided by his self-described E.L.I.T.E. mindset – Energy, Leadership, Integrity, Toughness, and Excellence – among many accomplishments over the past four years, Jarmond engineered a partnership between UCLA and Nike/Jordan Brand and worked closely with campus leadership to steward UCLA Athletics’ historic acceptance into the Big Ten Conference, starting later this year.

He leads a 25-sport department, with five Bruin teams earning NCAA championships during his tenure: men’s water polo (2020), women’s soccer (2022), men’s volleyball (2023, 2024), and women's water polo (2024). Himself a two-year captain of the men’s basketball team at UNC Wilmington, Jarmond is committed to the holistic student-athlete experience by championing mental health awareness, and in 2021, he was recognized by Sports Business Journal for being a national leader in diversity and inclusive hiring.

Jarmond’s address to UCLA Dentistry graduates will merge his professional and personal lives. His wife, Dr. Jessica Jarmond, is a practicing dentist; the couple has three daughters, Scarlett, Savannah, and Serena. Earlier this month, the School’s Board of Counselors Leadership Institute student cohort had the opportunity to learn from both Martin and Jessica as they presented during one of the program’s evening sessions.

“It is an honor to be chosen to speak at the UCLA School of Dentistry’s commencement,” said Jarmond, who earned both his M.B.A. and a master’s in sports administration from Ohio University. “Dentistry obviously means a lot to my family, and to my wife Jessica, in particular. I have seen first-hand the work and dedication she has put into this profession and the sacrifices she made during her schooling, and I am thrilled to honor and celebrate the next generation of dentists in the 2024 graduating class.”

During the School of Dentistry’s 57th commencement exercises, degrees will be conferred to 111 Doctor of Dental Surgery students from 15 countries, severn Master of Science in oral biology candidates, and two scholars earning an oral biology Ph.D. Additionally, certificates will be presented to 55 postgraduates completing residency programs. A video livestream of the two-hour ceremony will be accessible at dentistry.ucla.edu/commencement24.

“Martin’s infectious enthusiasm and innate leadership qualities are immediately evident to all who meet him, and I’m grateful he accepted my invitation to speak to UCLA Dentistry’s 2024 graduating class,” said Dean and Professor Paul H. Krebsbach, D.D.S., Ph.D. “He has deftly navigated an unprecedented era for college athletics over the same four years that our D.D.S. candidates have navigated the rigors of dental school. On June 2, they will join in celebration of excellence!”

The School of Dentistry is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2024, highlighted by an academic and social gathering for its School community, including alumni, on Saturday, Sept. 28.