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Nancy Pelosi to speak at graduation
Issue date: 9/25/08
After earning recognition as the first female Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will also be the first female commencement speaker that Hopkins has had in 23 years. The Hopkins Senior Class Council (SCC) announced today that Pelosi has agreed to speak at the Hopkins Class of 2009 graduation.
According to SCC president Demo Adamolekun, Pelosi was the Council's first choice for speaker this year, and plans for a speech were set in motion in early spring. Pelosi was selected over other candidates including former mayor Michael Bloomberg (D-NY) and film director and writer Wes Craven.
"We were looking for a speaker with some sort of Hopkins affiliation," Tuyen Nguyen, SCC senator, said. "Pelosi, Craven, and Bloomberg were [therefore] top choices."
Unlike Craven and Bloomberg, who are both Hopkins graduates, Pelosi herself has no official affiliation with the University. However, as Nguyen pointed out, Pelosi was raised in Baltimore and her father served as Baltimore City mayor from 1947-1959. Thus, though currently a California representative, Pelosi's obvious connections to Baltimore and by extension to Hopkins, as well as her high- profile involvement in national policy-making made her an obvious candidate.
In the past, SCC experienced difficulty finding speakers because they receive very little funding and are unable to pay the commencement speakers they invite.
"People always wanted ridiculous speakers to come, speakers we could never get. We can't really pay our commencement speakers. They have to be able to come out of the kindness of their hearts, which limits us normally to alumni. We were really interested in political speakers because they are nearby [in DC], so financial not a problem." Thus, according to Nguyen, Pelosi was a clear choice.
The SCC originally faced a tough decision when choosing between contacting Bloomberg and Pelosi.
[The administration] really wanted us to choose Bloomberg," Nguyen said, "but we checked and saw that Bloomberg had given a speech here a few years ago. We were all pretty firm about inviting Nancy Pelosi."
According to SCC president Demo Adamolekun, Pelosi was the Council's first choice for speaker this year, and plans for a speech were set in motion in early spring. Pelosi was selected over other candidates including former mayor Michael Bloomberg (D-NY) and film director and writer Wes Craven.
"We were looking for a speaker with some sort of Hopkins affiliation," Tuyen Nguyen, SCC senator, said. "Pelosi, Craven, and Bloomberg were [therefore] top choices."
Unlike Craven and Bloomberg, who are both Hopkins graduates, Pelosi herself has no official affiliation with the University. However, as Nguyen pointed out, Pelosi was raised in Baltimore and her father served as Baltimore City mayor from 1947-1959. Thus, though currently a California representative, Pelosi's obvious connections to Baltimore and by extension to Hopkins, as well as her high- profile involvement in national policy-making made her an obvious candidate.
In the past, SCC experienced difficulty finding speakers because they receive very little funding and are unable to pay the commencement speakers they invite.
"People always wanted ridiculous speakers to come, speakers we could never get. We can't really pay our commencement speakers. They have to be able to come out of the kindness of their hearts, which limits us normally to alumni. We were really interested in political speakers because they are nearby [in DC], so financial not a problem." Thus, according to Nguyen, Pelosi was a clear choice.
The SCC originally faced a tough decision when choosing between contacting Bloomberg and Pelosi.
[The administration] really wanted us to choose Bloomberg," Nguyen said, "but we checked and saw that Bloomberg had given a speech here a few years ago. We were all pretty firm about inviting Nancy Pelosi."
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Gloria Ross
posted 9/26/08 @ 10:54 AM EST
How could you pass Michael Bloomberg over Nancy Pelosi; I am glad my son is not graduating next year!
anonymous
posted 9/27/08 @ 12:58 AM EST
Bloomberg is not a democrat. His affiliation should be noted (I-NY).
me
posted 9/28/08 @ 9:18 PM EST
Elizabeth Dole spoke in 1998
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