House Majority Leader Richard Gephardt will deliver the keynote address at Amos Tuck School of Business Administration's graduation June 11.
Gephardt, a Missouri Democrat, will speak at Tuck's investiture ceremony that takes place the day before commencement exercises, Dean of the Tuck School Edward Fox said.
"The investiture ceremony personalizes the Tuck experience," Fox said.
"The students wanted a speaker who was well-known, involved with trade issues and health care - issues that are relevant to our times," Fox said. "The students say what they are interested in and we try to accommodate them."
Fox said a political trend is not developing in the selection of Tuck investiture speakers. Sen. Phil Gramm, Republican of Texas, was last year's speaker.
"It is useful for politicians to be heard - last year we had a prominent Republican and this year we have a prominent Democrat. The previous investiture speakers were leaders in the business industry," Fox said.
"The selection of a speaker just depends on what the students want and who is available," he said.
Fox said he is not sure what the content of Gephardt's speech will be.
"I don't know what he will be talking about, but I am sure it will be informative and interesting," he said.
Gephardt, a key figure in the current health care debate, was instrumental in passing President Clinton's budget last year.
Sharon Daniels, an administrative assistant in Gephardt's Washington, D.C. office, confirmed the representative's appearance in Hanover and said he is excited to be speaking at Tuck.
One hundred eighty students will graduate from Tuck this June. A recent U.S. News & World Report survey ranked Tuck seventh among business schools in the nation.
The College has not yet announced its Commencement speaker, who is selected by the Committee on Commencement and Honorary Degrees.
"We're anticipating being able to announce within the next couple of weeks," Senior Class President Dan Garodnick '94, the only student on the committee, said.
