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Commencement Speech by Tim Russert
As the managing editor and
moderator of Meet the Press,a
political analyst for NBC
Nightly News, and a senior vice president
and Washington bureau chief at NBC News, Tim Russert
has interviewed every major figure on the American political
scene over the last 15 years. Since taking the reigns
of Meet the Press in
1991, Russert has helped make the Sunday morning interview
program the most watched show of its kind in America
and the most quoted news program in the world. |
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Commencement Speech by Senator Daniel Inouye
Daniel Inouye is the third most senior
member of the U.S. Senate. A World War II combat veteran
and Medal of Honor recipient, he serves as the ranking
democrat on the Senate Defense Appropriations Committee,
which strives to improve national security and the
quality of life for military personnel. As a member
of the Watergate Committee in the 1970s and as chairman
of the Iran-Contra Committee in 1987, Inouye twice
drew national attention through his work probing major
political controversies. However, the bulk of his career
has been dedicated to a less conspicuous but equally
effective fight for the interests of Hawaii’s
people. Through his bipartisan leadership he has helped
craft legislation to build jobs throughout the state,
bolster health and human services in rural areas, and
expand the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to protect
rare and endangered species. |
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Commencement Speech by Senator Paul Sarbanes
Sarbanes received his law degree from Harvard
Law School, and often speaks to local student groups
on the importance of appreciating life in a democracy,
the importance of community participation and the values
of public service. First elected to the U.S. House of
Representatives in 1970, Sarbanes served three terms.
Sarbanes was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976, and
re-elected to four consecutive terms. In 2001, in his
capacity as Chairman of the Senate Banking, Housing and
Urban Affairs Committee, he introduced a bill that would
create a board to oversee auditors of public companies,
set accounting standards, investigate and discipline
accountants. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act was signed into law
in July of 2002. |
