A former college of law professor addressed 1,017 graduates during the Northwestern University's 78th Commencement Exercises on April 9, 2010. Supreme Court Associate Justice Diosdado M. Peralta was chosen by the university’s board as this year's speaker for his outstanding performance and exemplary record in public service and legal education.

In his speech, Peralta said that although he had no opportunity to tread the halls of the university as a student, he had a brief teaching stint in the College of Law in 1987 when he was a young fiscal of Laoag City.

The university conferred upon Associate Justice Peralta the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa, in recognition of his invaluable contribution in the enrichment of the legal profession as a highly esteemed legal luminary, professor and lecturer of law courses and bar reviewer in different universities of the Philippines and abroad. In the citation, the University recognized Peralta for his sincere and relentless efforts to fight against graft and corruption in the government that made him the first judge to have penned a plunder conviction in the country. He was also instrumental in initiating legal and judicial changes and reforms especially on criminal law.

Peralta said that he feels at home with NWU because his father who was once the University legal adviser, Dean of Liberal Arts, and the College of Law, and her mother who started her teaching career here were close to the family of the late Nicolas Nicolas.

Peralta finished his Bachelor of Laws at the University of Santo Tomas. He succeeded retired Associate Justice Ruben Reyes Jr. who was the speaker during the University's 75th Commencement Exercises and was also conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa. Prior to his appointment as SC Associate Justice on January 13, 2009, Peralta rose from the ranks as Fourth Assistant Prosecutor (City of Manila), Trial Prosecutor (Branch 49, RTC Manila), Third Assistant City Prosecutor (Manila), Second Assistant City Prosecutor III (Manila), Assistant Chief of the Investigation Division, Office of the Prosecutor (Manila), Presiding Judge (Branch 95, RTC Quezon City, Manila), Associate Justice and Presiding Justice of Sandiganbayan.

Meanwhile, four (4) students graduated magna cum laude: Jovanie Tumamao, BS Criminology; Princess Munoz, BS HRM; Julius Harvey P. Balbas and Dale Reantillo both AB PolSci. Graduating cum laude are Arnold Jake Pascual, AB PolSci; Suzatte Agag, BSN; Antonio Behing Jr.,AB PolSci; Carmela Aizza Gonzales, BS Commerce; Sherwin Domingo, BEED; Aimee Maureen Aleta, BSED; Grace Ebuna, BEED; Renz Aristotle Beltran, BS Accountancy; Brian Narciso, BEED; and Anabelle Villaluz, BS ComSci. List of career achievements by Peralta includes 2008 Outstanding Thomasian; Philippine Daily Inquirer's 2007 Filipino of the Year nominee; 2006 Sectoral Ulirang Ama on Law and Judiciary; 2005 Knight of Letran Awardee; 2004 Hall of Fame Awardee in the field of government and law given by the City of Laoag; 2002 Judicial Excellence Awardee; 2001 Special Centennial Awardee in the field of criminal law given by the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) and the Supreme Court; and 2000 Presidential Service Citation given by the IBP. Graduated cum distinction are Cherrie Ann Naguit and Apple Joy Verdadero from Midwifery and PC Operation respectively.