UO alumnus Miguel McKelvey, co-founder and chief culture officer of the pioneering shared-space company WeWork, will be the speaker at this year’s commencement ceremony.

McKelvey, who grew up in Eugene, earned his bachelor’s degree in architecture from the UO in 1999.

Commencement takes place Monday, June 18, starting with the Grad Parade at 8:45 a.m. and the main ceremony at 9:30 a.m.

President Michael H. Schill said he is thrilled that McKelvey accepted his invitation to speak.

“Our graduates and their families are in for an inspirational treat at commencement,” Schill said. “Miguel embodies a spirit we hope for all UO grads: constantly innovating, paying attention to the details and fostering a creative, purposeful and inclusive approach to life and work.”

WeWork, founded in 2010 by McKelvey and Adam Neumann, has locations in 65 cities worldwide today. WeWork connects people by design, offering a platform of complementary spaces and services to help people work, learn and collaborate in more meaningful ways.

WeWork’s global member network spans all industries and includes entrepreneurs, small businesses, large enterprises and Fortune 500 companies. The company is based in New York.

In a 2015 story for UO Giving, McKelvey said that architecture studios serve as great training grounds for entrepreneurs and those seeking to create change: Defend your ideas and solve problems; think about climate change and plumbing — at the same time, he said.

Originally responsible for WeWork’s physical buildings, McKelvey is now chief culture officer responsible for building and operating culture at WeWork. A leader who is also a lifelong learner, McKelvey and his team are exploring and codifying the role culture plays in shaping the way people work and the way companies connect to employees, communities and the world.