Welcoming 2015 Commencement Speakers

It is graduation season and the University of Massachusetts has compiled an outstanding list of commencement speakers, scheduled across all five UMass campuses. World renown writers, actors, politicians and scientists will all be giving the commencement speeches for the 2015 graduating classes!

The UMass Amherst campus will host acclaimed astrophysicist, Neil deGrasse Tyson. Dr. Tyson has authored 10 books, and is the fifth head of the world-renowned Hayden Planetarium in New York City. He was appointed by President Bush to serve on a nine-member commission on the Implementation of the United States Space Exploration Policy. As for UMass Lowell, actor and education advocate LeVar Burton will do the speaking. Mr. Burton has won 12 Emmy Awards, a Grammy, and five NAACP Awards. Along with success in show business, Mr. Burton has worked in front of and behind the camera to motivated young people to learn.

At the UMass Dartmouth Campus, U.S. Senator Edward J. Markey will be the keynote speaker. Senator Markey of Massachusetts has served for 37 years in the U.S. House of Representatives. He has a prolific legislative record on major issues across the policy spectrum. UMass Boston will have proud alum, Gina McCarthy '76, administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. During her 30-year career, Ms. McCarthy has worked at both the state and local levels on critical environmental issues and helped coordinate policies on economic growth, energy, transportation, and the environment. Lastly, UMass Worcester Medical School will host Victor J. Dzau, M.D. Dr, Dzau has been a Professor of Medicine at Duke University, as well as the Chairman of Medicine at Harvard Medical School’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital Dr. Dzau has made a significant impact on medicine through his seminal research in cardiovascular medicine and genetics, pioneering the discipline of vascular medicine, and through leadership in health care innovation.

For more information on the dates and locations of specific speakers, log on to Massachusetts.edu. Congratulations to the University of Massachusetts class of 2015!