Andrew Shue -- actor, activist, athlete, and entrepreneur -- will speak during Colorado College's 2003 commencement ceremony on Monday, May 19, beginning at 8:30 a.m. on campus.
Shue is the co-founder of the national non-profit organization, "Do Something," established in 1993 to inspire and assist young people of all backgrounds to take action in their communities. "Do Something" conducts programs locally and nationally to provide training, guidance, and financial resources to emerging young community leaders. He also established ClubMom.com, an online resource that brings mothers together to share experiences and information.
Just 20 days after the tragedy at Columbine High School in 1999, Shue joined 60 other opinion leaders for a summit on youth and violence, initiated by President Clinton. The "Talking with Kids about Tough Issues" campaign included poet Maya Angelou, singer Gloria Estefan, Al and Tipper Gore, and Kaiser Family Foundation President Drew Altman.
Born in Wilmington, Del., Shue's dedication to his community began as a high school student in South Orange, N.J. As student council president, he created a lasting solution to a contemporary problem by founding "Students Serving Seniors," an organization that paired local senior citizens with high school students from the community.
After graduating from Dartmouth College as a history major and All-American soccer player in 1989, Shue spent a year in Zimbabwe, where he taught high school math and played soccer with the Bulawayo Highlanders, the Zimbabwe national champions.
Shue returned to the U.S. in 1990 to train as an actor in New York City. Shue credits his sister, actress Elisabeth Shue, with assisting his post-Dartmouth launch into acting. Andrew Shue is well-known for his portrayal of Billy Campbell on Fox Television's hit series "Melrose Place." His acting career also includes small parts in such feature films as "Adventures in Babysitting" and "The Karate Kid," which both also featured Elisabeth Shue.
Andrew Shue played Major League Soccer for the Los Angeles Galaxy and served as the national spokesperson for the World Cup USA 1994 soccer tournament and the 1994 Cup Daily, the nation's only daily World Cup Soccer newspaper. He was named one of 1995's "10 Outstanding Young Americans" by the Junior Chamber of Commerce and he received an Honorary All-American Award from the National Soccer Coaches Association.
Shue addressed the 1995 graduating class and received an honorary degree at Drew University in Madison, N.J. Louis T. Benezet, president of Colorado College from 1955 to 1963, spoke at Drew's commencement in 1969.
Colorado College will award honorary degrees to Margaret Marshall, longtime community volunteer, and Cleo Parker Robinson, founder, executive artistic director, and choreographer of the 30-year-old Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Company in Denver.
Recent CC commencement speakers have included Colorado Attorney General Ken Salazar, U.S. Congresswoman Diana DeGette, U.S. Secretary of Energy Bill Richardson, Nobel Peace Prize winner and former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias, and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, renowned author, researcher, and professor.
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