The University recently selected United States Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus to deliver the keynote address during the commencement exercises at 7 p.m. in the PMAC on May 15. Washington, D.C. attorney Robert Barnett was also selected to deliver the Paul M. Hebert Law Center commencement address at 9:30 a.m. on May 30.
Members of the University’s administration considered recommendations for speakers and LSU President F. King Alexander extended an invitation to Mabus, who accepted, said University media relations director Ernie Ballard.
Barnett, who was selected to speak at the Law Center commencement, has represented presidents Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush and worked on the preparations for televised presidential debates in eight campaigns, according to a University news release.
A 2010 profile in the Washington Post said that Barnett’s “specialty is the birth, life and death of Washington careers — then he works on the afterlife. … He ushers the powerful to Washington, tries to make their lives fruitful while they’re here, then helps them launch second acts elsewhere.”
“Bob Barnett occupies a unique niche among the nation’s lawyers,” said Law Center Chancellor Jack Weiss in a news release. “He is a trusted counselor to dozens of globally known clients on their most sensitive matters. It’s a great honor to welcome Bob as our 2014 graduation speaker.”
During his tenure as Secretary of the Navy, Mabus has focused on improving the quality of life of sailors, marines and their families, as well as decreasing the Navy’s use of fossil fuels. Mabus has set a goal for the Navy and Marine Corps to obtain at least 50 percent of their energy from alternative sources by the year 2020, according to a University news release.
Mabus was elected governor of Mississippi in 1988 and served as the youngest governor of the state in more than 150 years, the release said.
Alexander said in a release he looks forward to Mabus’ talk and the advice he will give to students as they graduate in May.
The individual diploma ceremonies, where bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral candidates will be recognized, are scheduled to take place on May 16.