Clinton to speak at Middlebury
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Associated Press - Published: January 12, 2007
MIDDLEBURY — Former President Bill Clinton will be commencement speaker at Middlebury College this year, continuing the college's tradition of attracting big names ranging from Rudolph Giuliani to Lech Walesa.
"It is a great honor to have President Clinton as the Middlebury College commencement speaker," college President Ronald A. Liebowitz said in a news release. "His dedication to a career in public service and the philanthropic work he has done since leaving public office are an inspiration to college students seeking ways to change and improve both our country and the world."
At the May 27 event, Clinton will also receive an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Clinton will speak for free; Middlebury does not pay an honorarium to commencement speakers.
After leaving the White House, Clinton created the William J. Clinton Foundation, which works on issues ranging from HIV/AIDS to climate change.
Other recent commencement speakers at Middlebury have included former Agriculture Secretary Ann Veneman in 2006; Giuliani, the former New York mayor, in 2005; Dana Morosini Reeve, an alumna, and her husband, actor Christopher Reeve, in 2004; longtime children's television host Fred Rogers in 2001 and Walesa, the Polish leader, in 2000.
Clinton also will be commencement speaker this year at the University of Michigan and Knox College in Galesburg, Ill.
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