Newswise — The nation's top education official, United States Secretary of Education Rod Paige, will deliver a special address to new graduates at Grand Valley State University's Commencement Ceremonies, held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, April 24, at the Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids, Mich.
Paige, who was a teacher, coach, dean, and school district superintendent before being confirmed by the U.S. Senate to his present post in January 2001, is uniquely qualified to address students as they stand at the crossroads of school and career.
The son of a public school principal and librarian, Paige was born in segregated Monticello, Mississippi, and went on to earn master's and doctoral degrees from Indiana University. Starting out as a teacher and coach, he then served for a decade as dean of the College of Education at Texas Southern University and established the university's Center for Excellence in Urban Education.
In 1994, Paige became superintendent of the Houston Independent School District, the seventh largest school district in the nation. In 2001 he was named National Superintendent of the Year by the American Association of School Administrators.
His vast experience as a practitioner—from the blackboard to the boardroom—paid off when working to pass President Bush's "No Child Left Behind Act" of 2001. Now he leads the charge — in partnership with states and districts — to implement those reforms.
Also speaking to graduates in an address titled "A Call to Service and Leadership" will be Ralph W. Hauenstein, a former World War II Army colonel, chief intelligence officer and adviser to President Dwight Eisenhower. Through a gift from Hauenstein, Grand Valley established the Hauenstein Center for Presidential Studies in 2001. GVSU President Mark A. Murray will honor Hauenstein with an honorary degree, the Doctor of Humane Letters.
Nearly 1,400 graduating students plan to walk in the commencement procession on April 24, including 250 graduate students. The total number eligible to receive bachelor's and master's degrees this spring tops 2,300.
Grand Valley State University attracts more than 21,000 students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities. Located in western Michigan, Grand Valley is the comprehensive regional university for the state's second largest metropolitan area and offers 68 undergraduate and 22 graduate degree programs. It has campuses in Allendale, Grand Rapids, Holland, Muskegon and Traverse City.
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