December 4, 2025
Alumnus Jorge Aguilar, CEO of Trove, to be Commencement speaker
St. Mary’s University will honor the accomplishments of its 218 new graduates at its Fall 2025 Commencement on Saturday, Dec. 13.
Commencement will begin at 2 p.m. in the Alumni Athletics & Convocation Center, Bill Greehey Arena. The Commencement speaker will be Jorge Aguilar (B.A. ’06), the founder and CEO of Trove, a hospitality and real estate company headquartered in Chicago.
Due to limited seating, tickets are required for all guests. The ceremony will also be livestreamed, and a recording will be available for download at that URL following the ceremony.
The ceremony will celebrate the achievements of 218 new graduates, including 101 receiving bachelor’s degrees, 57 receiving master’s degrees, 56 receiving degrees from the School of Law and four receiving doctoral degrees.
More about the Commencement speaker:
Jorge Aguilar is the founder and CEO of Trove, a venture-funded company specializing in premium vacation rentals, boutique hotels and multifamily living. Trove manages a portfolio of high-performing properties across multiple U.S. markets and is expanding internationally through partnerships with some of Mexico’s leading real estate investment trusts.
A proud graduate of St. Mary’s University, Aguilar earned his Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Economics and International Relations before completing a master’s degree in Information Technology from DePaul University in Chicago. His career began at Rotary International, where he managed global software initiatives before pursuing his passion for real estate, hospitality and entrepreneurship full-time.
Under Aguilar’s leadership, Trove has become recognized as a top-performing firm in the Midwest. He was named one of Crain’s Chicago Business Notable Entrepreneurs and is an active member of the Urban Land Institute. He also participates in the EY Entrepreneurs Access Network, a national initiative supporting high-growth companies shaping the future of business.
Beyond business, Aguilar serves as president of the Great Lakes Alumni Chapter for St. Mary’s, where he has strengthened alumni engagement and philanthropy across the region. Guided by a belief that excellence and generosity go hand in hand, he recently launched the Trove Scholarship, which supports Trove employees’ children who demonstrate academic promise and character.
Aguilar’s work and leadership reflect the enduring Marianist values of faith, service, community and a lifelong commitment to doing good in the world.