Catherine Schetina ’14
By Emily Glory Peters
Scripps College is thrilled to announce Catherine Schetina ’14, an acclaimed writer and filmmaker, as the speaker for the College’s Commencement this May.
Schetina’s writing on all five seasons of the FX series The Bear has contributed to the show’s widespread success, including wins at the Emmys and the Golden Globes. Her season three episode “Napkins” was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Episodic Comedy award. Currently, she serves as a writer and producer on the upcoming Netflix drama series The Body.
“We’re so excited to host Catherine and have her speak during Commencement,” say Scripps senior class co-presidents Bella Guizler Bonilla’26 and Sophia Farrand’26, who led the speaker selection process on behalf of their peers. “Catherine’s life as a Scripps alum and poignant storyteller is an inspiration—she embodies the values of integrity, authenticity, and genuine compassion that the Class of 2026 has shown throughout their years here at Scripps.”
In addition to her television writing, Schetina’s original screenplay Pure was named the number one script on the 2022 Black List, an annual survey of Hollywood’s most well-regarded unproduced scripts. The distinction is widely viewed as a marker of emerging and established talent in film and television writing. She’ll make her directorial debut with the project this fall.
Schetina graduated from Scripps College in 2014 with a degree in English and a minor in religious studies, where she helped found Scripps Advocates, an organization providing support and resources to survivors of sexual assault and harassment. Today, she also helps run a mutual aid operation that serves 700 weekly meals to unhoused residents of Los Angeles. She lives in Los Angeles with her wife, Emma Gavin ’14, and two black cats.
“Catherine Schetina represents the power of a Scripps education to cultivate original thinkers,” said Scripps College President Amy Marcus-Newhall. “We are proud to welcome her back to campus to address the Class of 2026.”