Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will be the keynote speaker at the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s 2023 spring commencement ceremony at Camp Randall Stadium on May 13, UW has announced.
Holder, who served as then-President Barack Obama’s attorney general from February 2009 to April 2015, was the first African-American to hold that office and was the third-longest serving attorney general in U.S. history.
Commencement speakers are selected by the senior class officers in consultation with the Chancellor’s Office.
“When we were discussing potential speakers for our commencement ceremony, the Senior Class Office was drawn to Attorney General Holder’s leadership and legacy,” Liam McLean, senior class president, told UW News. “Attorney General Holder is a trailblazer whose drive for excellence and humanity as a public servant aligns perfectly with our values as a university to shape a better world than the one we found. We are thrilled that he accepted our invitation to address the UW–Madison Class of 2023.”
A native of New York City, Holder is a graduate of Columbia College and Columbia Law School. He served in government for more than 30 years, having been appointed to various positions requiring U.S. Senate confirmation by presidents Obama, Clinton and Reagan.
