NEWS
a v e m a r i a m a g a z i n e | s p r i n g 2014
LIBRARIAN OF CONGRESS TO SPEAK TO CLASS OF 2014
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Librarian of Congress James Hadley Billington will be the commencement speaker this May at Ave Maria University. “This remarkable man is one of the nation’s pre-eminent scholars, and when you consider the fact that he was appointed by President Ronald Reagan and has served for 26 years at the helm of the Library of
Congress, Billington’s ability to transcend the partisanship in Washington is simply amazing,” Towey said. The University’s 10th Commencement Exercises for an expected 199 undergraduate and graduate students of the Class of 2014 will be held on Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m. in the Golisano Fieldhouse on campus. The University will confer an honor-
ary doctorate on Dr. Billington in recognition of his exemplary public service and lifetime achievements at home and abroad. Dr. Billington was sworn in as the Librarian of Congress on September 14, 1987 and is the 13th person to hold the position since the Library was first established in 1800. “Dr. Billington’s remarks will be an inspi-
ration to our students,” Towey said. “They will be meeting a singularly unique individual who is both octogenarian and humanitarian, and a genuine man of faith.” Billington joins other high-profile commencement speakers to recently address AMU graduates. In 2013, Florida Gov. Rick Scott spoke to graduates and in 2012,
Florida’s 43rd governor and possible 2016 Presidential candidate Jeb Bush was the commencement speaker on campus. Last year, graduates were also inspired by Kevin J. “Seamus” Hasson, the founder and president emeritus of The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty. He was honored with an honorary doctorate at graduation..
D I D Y O U K N O W ? A M U S T U D E N T S C O M E F R O M 4 9 S TAT E S A N D 1 8 C O U N T R I E S