Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine to deliver University Commencement address
Virginia Gov. Timothy M. Kaine is scheduled to address the 2006 graduates of Virginia Tech during the university’s 134th commencement ceremony at 7:30 p.m., Friday, May 12, at Lane Stadium/Worsham Field.
“It has been an ongoing tradition at Virginia Tech for the new governor to speak at graduation during his first year in office,” said Charles Steger, president of Virginia Tech. “We are truly honored that Governor Kaine has decided to continue that tradition and speak at the 2006 commencement ceremony.”
Kaine received his undergraduate degree from the University of Missouri in 1979 and subsequently entered law school at Harvard. During his time at Harvard, Kaine took a one-year leave to work as a Christian missionary in a small village in Honduras. In 1983, Kaine received his law degree and was elected to four terms on Richmond City Council, including two terms as mayor. During his tenure as councilman, Kaine helped to create thousands of new jobs, build new schools, and improve the city’s business climate.
In 2001, Kaine was elected lieutenant governor, where he worked with Gov. Mark Warner to make unprecedented state spending cuts, including a 30 percent cut to his own salary. On Jan. 14, 2006, Kaine was inaugurated as the 70th governor for the Commonwealth of Virginia.
During his campaign for governor, Kaine emphasized four principles to improve the quality of life for Virginia’s residents: raising the bar for public education, finding common-sense solutions to Virginia’s transportation challenges, creating more jobs in every part of the state, and giving local governments tools that will allow them to better serve their communities.
Approximately 5,000 Virginia Tech undergraduate, graduate, and professional students are expected to complete their degree requirements and participate in commencement ceremonies. Approximately 15,000 to 20,000 family members and guests travel to Blacksburg to join graduating students.
Founded in 1872 as a land-grant college, Virginia Tech has grown to become among the largest universities in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Today, Virginia Tech’s eight colleges are dedicated to putting knowledge to work through teaching, research, and outreach activities and to fulfilling its vision to be among the top research universities in the nation. At its 2,600-acre main campus located in Blacksburg and other campus centers in Northern Virginia, Southwest Virginia, Hampton Roads, Richmond, and Roanoke, Virginia Tech enrolls more than 28,000 full- and part-time undergraduate and graduate students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries in 180 academic degree programs.
