LISLE, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 7, 2026--
Bill Kleyman, an alumnus of DeVry University and its Keller Graduate School of Management will deliver the keynote address at the university’s commencement ceremonies Sunday, June 7, at the Rosemont Theatre in Rosemont, Ill., at 9:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
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Kleyman, co-founder and CEO of Apolo, will address more than 2,000 graduates and will share his incredible journey from Ukrainian political asylum refugee to technology executive and entrepreneur.
“When I stand in front of the graduating class of 2026, I’m not thinking of titles or careers. I’m thinking about the sacrifices they and their families have made and the resilience it took to get here,” he noted. “I think of my own family and what it means to have people believing in you before the world does. Every person in that room is exactly where they’re meant to be. Incredible things happen when you combine hard work with courage.”
“We are honored to have Bill join us as our keynote speaker to celebrate the Class of 2026,” added Elise Awwad, president and CEO of DeVry University. “His journey is one of inspiration, strength, innovation and determination – qualities our learners display every day. We look forward to the advice as our graduates take that courageous next step in their careers.”
DeVry University’s Commencement Weekend
The commencement ceremonies are part of a two-day celebration. On Saturday, June 6, DeVry is hosting “DeVry Day,” featuring career planning sessions and an alumni networking reception, where the university will also recognize outstanding graduates through its annual Alumni Awards.
Commencement is a celebration for all graduates. On Sunday, graduates of both DeVry University and Keller Graduate School of Management from across the country have been invited to attend the in-person ceremonies. Additionally, more than 70 high school students from DeVry University’s dual-enrollment Advantage Academy in Chicago, Ill. will cross the graduation stage, earning an associate degree alongside their high school diploma. For those unable to travel or attend in person, DeVry will also host virtual commencement ceremonies on Sunday, July 12, so they and their families can celebrate wherever they reside.
About Bill Kleyman
Bill Kleyman is a technology executive and AI infrastructure leader with more than 20 years of experience in data centers, cloud and digital infrastructure. He is the CEO and co-founder of Apolo, an AI platform and infrastructure company focused on enabling scalable, efficient AI deployments across enterprise and data center environments.
He also serves as the Executive Chair of Data Center Programs at Informa and Co-Chair of the People Committee at Infrastructure Masons. Kleyman is a regular guest lecturer at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, where he teaches courses on data centers, cloud and emerging technologies.
His career includes executive leadership roles at Switch, EPAM Systems, MTM Technologies and World Wide Fittings, where he led initiatives in hyperscale infrastructure, cloud architecture and enterprise transformation.
A globally recognized speaker and author, Kleyman contributes to leading industry publications such as Data Center Frontier, Data Center Knowledge, ITPro Today and InformationWeek. He is also a co-author of the “Greener Data” book series. In 2021, he received the iMasons Education Champion Award.
For Kleyman, returning to his alma mater to address graduates marks a “full circle moment.”
“To be able to return to my alma mater, a place that helped shape so much of what I do, is truly inspirational. It comes with a profound sense of pride and responsibility,” he said. “I once walked the same path as these students, and together we’re part of something truly special. I hope that my story resonates with them, that they feel seen, energized, and when they leave, maybe just a little braver than when they arrived.”
About DeVry University
DeVry University strives to close society’s opportunity gap and address emerging talent needs by preparing learners to thrive in careers shaped by continuous technological change. Founded in 1931, the university offers undergraduate and graduate programs onsite and online in Business, Healthcare and Technology. DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC, www.hlcommission.org/ ). The university’s Keller Graduate School of Management is included in this accreditation. To learn more, visit devry.edu.
Kleyman, co-founder and CEO of Apolo, will address more than 2,000 graduates and will share his incredible journey from Ukrainian political asylum refugee to technology executive and entrepreneur.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Tennessee forged ahead with a plan Thursday that could carve up a majority-Black congressional district, reshaping it to the GOP's advantage as part of President Donald Trump's strategy to try to hold on to a slim House majority in the November midterm elections.
Protesters shouted “No Jim Crow” outside the House and Senate chambers as lawmakers convened to consider the legislation. Some protesters later were cleared out of the House chamber after interrupting debate with chants of “Who's House? Our House!”
The redistricting effort in Tennessee is one of several rapidly advancing plans in Southern states as Republicans try to leverage a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the federal Voting Rights Act.
The court ruled that Louisiana relied too heavily on race when creating a second Black-majority House district as it attempted to comply with the federal law. The high court's decision altered a decades-old understanding of the law, giving Republicans grounds to try to eliminate majority-Black districts that have elected Democrats.
Louisiana has postponed its congressional primary to give time for state lawmakers to craft a new House map. Legislation awaiting a final vote in Alabama also would upend the state’s congressional primaries if courts allow the state to change its U.S. House districts. In South Carolina, meanwhile, Republican lawmakers urged on by Trump have taken initial steps to add congressional redistricting to their agenda.
The states are the latest to join an already fierce national redistricting battle. Since Trump prodded Texas to redraw its U.S. House districts last year, eight states have adopted new congressional districts. From that, Republicans think they could gain as many as 13 seats while Democrats think they could gain up to 10. But some competitive races mean the parties may not get everything they sought in the November elections.
A package of bills in Tennessee would repeal a state law prohibiting mid-decade redistricting and reopen a candidate qualifying until May 15 to allow time for new people to enter the primary and existing candidates to switch districts. The proposed House map would break up Tennessee’s lone Democratic-held district, centered on the majority-Black city of Memphis, creating a ripple effect of alterations to districts throughout the western and central parts of the state.
Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton said the proposed districts were drawn based on population and politics, not racial data.
But Democrats dismissed such assertions.
“This is being done because of race,” Democratic state Rep. Jason Powell said during Thursday's debate.
The proposal “is Black vote dilution at an industrial scale,” said Sekou Franklin, a political science professor at Middle Tennessee State University who is part of the Tennessee branch of the NAACP.
Democrats noted that the state Supreme Court in April 2022 rejected a challenge to the current congressional map, finding it was too close to the election to make changes. This year, there’s even less time before the Aug. 6 primary, raising the potential of confusion for both candidates and voters, Democrats said.
The Alabama House passed legislation Wednesday authorizing special congressional primaries as Republicans eye the possibility of getting a different congressional map in place for the November elections. The bill could receive a Senate vote by Friday.
Alabama is seeking to lift a federal court order that created a second House district with a near-majority of Black voters. That map led to the 2024 election of Rep. Shomari Figures, a Black Democrat. Republicans want instead to use a 2023 map drawn by state lawmakers that would give the GOP an opportunity to reclaim Figures’ district.
The legislation won approval on a party-line vote after four hours of fiery debate during which Black legislators recalled the state’s history. Democratic state Rep. Juandalynn Givan likened the legislation to poll taxes and counting jelly beans in a jar — a virtually impossible task that was used to suppress Black voters during the Jim Crow era.
“It is a calculated political maneuver born out of fear, a fear that is of Black people and most importantly Black political power,” Givan said.
Alabama’s primaries are May 19. If a court grants the state’s request, the legislation would ignore the results for congressional seats and direct the governor to schedule a new primary under the revised districts.
The South Carolina Senate could take up a resolution Thursday giving lawmakers permission to return later, after their regular work ends, to redraw congressional districts that could eliminate the state’s only Democratic-held district. The proposal, which passed the House on Wednesday, needs a two-thirds vote in both chambers.
Republican House leaders said after the vote that they plan to introduce a new map Thursday and hold committee meetings on Friday. But during debate Wednesday, Republicans fended off specific questions from Democrats, including why they were willing to stop the June 9 U.S. House primary elections well after candidates filed and how much a rescheduled primary could cost.
Democratic Rep. Justin Bamberg said he felt sorry for Republicans who, he said, were giving up their principles to follow the whims of Trump.
“The president of the United States is a very powerful man. Wields a heavy, heavy thumb — Truth Social, X, Meta, Instagram. To be honest I don’t envy our Republican colleagues,” Bamberg said.
Chandler reported from Montgomery, Alabama; Collins from Columbia, South Carolina; and Lieb from Jefferson City, Missouri. Associated Press reporter Kristin M. Hall contributed.
House Speaker Cameron Sexton, R-Crossville, sits alone after a House committee meeting during a special session of the state legislature to redraw U.S. Congressional voting maps Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
State troopers clear a House committee meeting after it was disrupted by protesters during a special session of the state legislature to redraw U.S. Congressional voting maps Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
Rep. Joe Towns Jr., D-Memphis, gestures during procedural vote in a House committee meeting of a special session of the state legislature to redraw U.S. Congressional voting maps Wednesday, May 6, 2026, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV)
