John Dempster ‘99 Named Alumni Speaker for Manor College 2026 Commencement

Dempster, who graduated from Manor with his Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts, currently serves as the Athletic Director for Manor College.

Manor College vs. Central Penn College – October 24, 2023.

John Dempster ‘99 will be the Alumni Speaker for Manor College’s 2026 Commencement Ceremony.

“Being asked to be the Alumni Speaker for this year’s commencement fills me with pride,” Dempster said. “Being a Manor College grad has done so much for me and my family.”

Dempster graduated from Manor College in 1999 with his Associate’s Degree in Liberal Arts. He is a native of Northeast Philadelphia and graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School.

Dempster began working at Manor College in 2001 in the institution’s Admissions department. He became the head coach of Men’s Soccer in 2010 and the Athletic Director for Manor in 2017.

Under his care, Manor College athletics has found success both on the field and in the classroom. Manor College teams have made 20 postseason appearances. In the 2025-2026 season, both the Men’s Soccer and Men’s Basketball teams won the Eastern States Athletic Conference championship.

During his tenure, Manor College grew its sports offerings, including most recently with women’s flag football and men’s volleyball.

Manor College’s athletes have excelled in the classroom as well, with 89 different Manor student-athletes being named to the USCAA All-Academic Teams since 2017. Students on the All-Academic team earn a 3.5 GPA or higher during the season in which they competed.

As he takes the podium at Commencement, Dempster hopes to showcase the importance of Manor College, not just while you’re a student, but throughout their lives.

“Besides my wife and children, Manor College means everything to me,” Dempster said. “I owe so much to this great institution. This is the place where I was able to figure out who I am. I hope that they can take away what being an alumni of Manor can do for them.”

Manor College’s 2026 Commencement takes place on Thursday, May 14 on the front lawn of Manor College. The Commencement Orators for the event are Mark and Ann Baiada, founders of BAYADA Home Health Services. The student speakers for the event will be Wandell Scott and Mirit Falkowski. For more information on Manor College’s Commencement, click here.