In front of a sea of blue robes, regalia and relatives, Mariah Calagione, co-founder of Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, delivered the 2026 Commencement address on Saturday, May 23. 

Originally from Milford, Delaware, Calagione and her husband, Sam Calagione, opened Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats in Rehoboth in 1995 — Delaware’s first brewpub and the smallest commercial brewery in America at the time. Their hunger for non-conformity and creativity led them to open Dogfish Inn in 2014, then a seafood and cocktail spot, Chesapeake & Maine in 2016. 

“Off-center goodness for off-center people is sort of like our rallying cry,” Calagione said. “It was really about doing your own thing, putting your own thumbprint on it, kind of like letting our freak flags fly a little.” 

After college, Calagione’s husband worked at a bar in Manhattan, where he fell in love with the idea of brewing and selling craft beer — something that was uncommon on the East Coast at the time. The small scale of Dogfish Head Brewing & Eats offered the freedom to experiment with a wide range of recipes. 

Calagione, meanwhile, comes from a background in marketing and public relations. She spent three years working in local television at a Rhode Island station; she credits the fast-paced, conversational style of news for allowing her to develop the voice of the company. 

“I had zero plan when I was graduating from college, and I think, in a way, that’s good,” Calagione said. “I would say be open to things that aren’t necessarily on your prescribed plan, and if you have a prescribed plan and you can make that work, that’s amazing.” 

The couple’s ingenuity has allowed them to expand their craft and quality in innovative ways, all while shaping the brand’s personality and emphasizing its off-centered sense of fun.

“My husband is a big music geek, as much as he is a beer geek, and we use the term geek very lovingly,” Calagione said. “He finds all different ways to incorporate music and music programming, and it’s sort of a vibe of indie music into what we do at Dogfish Head.”

For over a decade, Dogfish Head has been the Official Beer of Record Store Day, a celebration of nearly 1,400 independently-owned record stores in the U.S. and thousands of similar stores internationally. The couple has also collaborated with numerous musical artists on different beers and events, including the Grateful Dead, Pearl Jam and the Flaming Lips. 

In downtown Lewes, the Dogfish Inn features artwork by artists the company has partnered with on beer labels and concert posters.

“Guests will come and they’ll bring their favorite beer from their hometown,” Calagione said. “At night, you just see guests sitting around the fire pit, getting to know each other, enjoying and trading beers, or you know, just telling stories.” 

Calagione has always been an advocate for community and much of her work aims to bring people together. She has served on numerous boards, including the university’s Board of Trustees, and has been a part of several philanthropic organizations.

Calagione currently serves on the board of the Delaware Community Foundation and directs two family foundations, the Red Wagon Foundation and the Draper Holdings Charitable Foundation. 

“It’s definitely my passion, like, you know, get out there,” Calagione said. “Get out there and be involved, and you know throughout your life you have many communities that you’re going to be part of, including your UD community. Don’t be one of those people that sits on the sidelines, be part of it, because you’re going to expand your own world.” 

Although Calagione did not attend the university, she shared that being selected as the commencement speaker is especially important to her because of her family’s ties to the school.

“My mom was a trustee for a number of years when I was a little kid, and I remember her going and getting dressed every year to go to commencement with the robes and everything,” Calagione said. “So it’s kind of a full circle moment that I got to do that.”

Despite the uncertainty many graduates face after college, Calagione said staying engaged and being willing to pursue new opportunities can make all the difference.

“Be open, get involved, you know, pay attention to the world,” Calagione said. “But don’t let that drive every decision you’re going to make, because if you only go by what’s on your plan, you might pass by opportunities that you didn’t even think would be a good fit.”