Campus news

Media Advisory: Nancy Pelosi to address Berkeley’s 2014 graduates

By Public Affairs

ATTENTION: Reporters covering higher education and general assignment beats; weekend, photo and TV news assignment desks.

NOTE:
Excellent visuals for photographers, TV crews

Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

WHAT: The University of California, Berkeley, will celebrate its annual May Commencement honoring all graduating seniors in the Class of 2014. This year’s event is expected to be one of the largest in recent history with over 21,000 people expected to fill California Memorial Stadium, including the graduates, their family members and friends, and members of the faculty and staff.

U.S. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi will deliver the commencement address. The event will also include remarks by Chancellor Nicholas Dirks and by Andrés Roemer, Consul General of Mexico in San Francisco, a UC Berkeley alumnus and this year’s recipient of the Elise and Walter A. Haas International Award in recognition of his extensive record of public service.

Also speaking will be Rebecca Peters, UC Berkeley’s 2014 top graduating senior, a double major in Society and Environment and Interdisciplinary Studies, and a minor in Global Poverty and Practice. At the ceremony, Peters, who grew up in Calabasas, Calif., will receive the University Medal for her scholarship and public service in Central and South America where she has focused on improving the quality of and public access to potable water, which she believes is critical for empowering girls and women. Learn more about Rebecca Peters in this video.

University Medalist

Video by Roxanne Makasdjian and Phil Ebiner

WHEN: This Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m. The media check-in table will open at 8 a.m., and news media are encouraged to arrive before 9:30 a.m.  Space is limited.

WHERE: California Memorial Stadium, on the southeast corner of the UC Berkeley campus (See campus map).  Reporters must stop at the media check-in table located between Gates 1 and 2 to receive credentials.

DETAILS: News media wishing to cover all or part of the event should contact Andy Pino, director of communications and media relations, at andypino@berkeley.edu. Parking is extremely limited.