Wittenberg University is proud to announce that Megan Frost, class of 1994, and director of product design for Apple, Inc., has agreed to present the keynote address at the 174th Commencement exercises scheduled for Saturday, May 11, in picturesque Commencement Hollow. The announcement came during the annual “100 Days ‘Til Graduation” event that took place on Thursday, Feb. 1, in Geil Lounge and Founders Pub inside the Benham-Pence Student Center.
“On behalf of Wittenberg University, I am excited to welcome Megan back to her alma mater,” said President Michael L. Frandsen, Ph.D. “Megan’s innovative thinking, creativity, and impressive leadership in the tech industry remind all of us of the power generated when a Wittenberg liberal arts education meets technology. We look forward to hearing her remarks as we celebrate the Class of 2024 in May.”
Frost, a product design leader with more than 25 years of experience in creating innovative and user-centric solutions that enhance the lives of millions of people around the world, began her career as a senior designer at Silicon Graphics after graduating from Wittenberg with a degree in graphic design. She then moved on to a senior art director position at SBI-Razorfish before joining the Apple team in 2004 as a design lead for the iTunes Music Store, a year after the revolutionary service was introduced to the world.
Now as director of product design at Apple, Frost oversees iCloud, Apple Maps, Education, Business, Wallet, and Pay. Leading a talented and diverse team of designers, researchers, and engineers, she oversees the end-to-end design process of product lines, from prototyping to testing and launch. Some of her recent projects include the creation of the 3D cartograph and Look Around features for Apple Maps and the creation of Family Sharing. At Apple, Frost has also leveraged her skills in creative direction, graphic design, branding, and more.
As a side project, Frost also founded Cute Overload in 2005, a three-time Webby award-winning blog that chronicled the finest in cute imagery and commentary for over a decade. Its existence was purely accidental as Frost created cuteoverload.com to test web software. However, the site quickly gained in popularity and has been covered by mainstream media such as the New York Times and the Martha Stewart Show. She is also a current advisor at WHILL, Inc., a company whose mission has been to improve people’s short-distance travel experience by providing innovative mobility products and services.
Frost and her husband reside in Menlo Park, California, and have 10-year-old twins. The Frost family had the opportunity to visit campus shortly before the pandemic, a time that allowed her to reminisce about her days on campus and as a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and the Wittenberg Choir. Frost, who grew up in California, frequently visited family in Cincinnati, which is how she learned of Wittenberg. When it came time for college, she knew she wanted to look outside of California with the intent of one day moving back, and Wittenberg was a great fit.
Looking ahead to the big day in May, Gabby Stern, senior class president and a nursing major pursuing a minor in psychology, shared her thoughts on the class of 2024. Most members of the class of 2024 will be attending their first in-person graduation exercises since their high schools could not host traditional ceremonies because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“This year’s class is one of the closest,” Stern said. “We have grown together and navigated through college, despite being in a global pandemic. We have faced much uncertainty, though we have grown close and always been there for each other. I believe this class is beyond excited to actually HAVE senior festivities and Commencement. This is something that was taken away from us due to the pandemic, so this graduation is extra special.”
Stern, from Hilliard, Ohio, has been active at Wittenberg as a member of the nursing club, Alpha Phi Omega, Student Senate, assistant director of football operations, men’s lacrosse social media coordinator, and a nursing simulation lab worker during her time at Wittenberg. Upon graduation, she plans to pursue a career in nursing and further her education to become a nurse practitioner.
“Getting a graduation following years of hard work was something we didn’t get to experience as high school students,” she said. “We got to watch the classes above and below us celebrate their graduation, but we never had that opportunity.
“Our class has been through the worst of Covid-19 our very first year on campus as well,” she added. “The pandemic made it almost impossible to meet new people and build friendships with each other. Though, we managed to make it work. We learned how to socialize with each other, even if that meant only one other person in the dorm room or braving the Ohio weather to socialize outside. We have been forced to make do with what we have and adapt to the constant changes around us. We have learned to not only accept but embrace uncertainty, which will carry us through life.”
Wittenberg is planning for traditional Commencement Exercises beginning at 11:30 a.m. with access starting at 9:30 a.m. All guests must be seated by 11 a.m. In the event of inclement weather, the program will be held in the Health, Wellness & Athletics Center’s Pam Evans Smith Arena. Tickets are required for an indoor ceremony.
On Feb. 15, Wittenberg will host a Countdown to Commencement event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Geil Lounge on the lower level of the student center. During this event, graduates will have the opportunity to place orders for caps and gowns, announcements, diploma frames, and other Commencement-related items. For additional information on Wittenberg’s 2024 Commencement Exercises, click here.
