U.S. Senator Richard Shelby To Address UA Grads Dec. 17

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. -U.S. Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.) will be the featured speaker for The University of Alabama’s winter commencement ceremony Sunday, Dec. 17 at Coleman Coliseum on the UA campus.

Shelby will also receive an honorary doctor of humane letters during the 2 p.m. ceremony. Approximately 1,300 degrees will be conferred.

Since 1997, UA has held three graduations annually, with ceremonies in May, August and December. With this graduating class, UA will have awarded more than 176,000 degrees since its founding in 1831 as the state’s first public university.

Shelby, Alabama’s senior senator, is a graduate of The University of Alabama’s undergraduate and law programs. He came to the Senate in 1987 and serves as chairman of both the Senate Intelligence Committee and the Transportation Subcommittee of the Senate Appropriations Committee. He also serves on multiple other committees and subcommittees.

In June, Shelby was on the UA campus for the site dedication ceremony of Shelby Hall, an interdisciplinary science building (opening in 2002) that will provide specially designed research and teaching facilities for UA research coalitions and centers in transportation, geosciences, energy, biosciences, chemical sciences and material sciences.

For more information, contact University Relations at 205/348-5320.