BLACKSBURG, Va., May 5, 2005 – The following are the university's commencement speakers since 1959.
2005: David L. Calhoun, president and CEO of GE Transportation (spring).
2004: Pierre Thomas from the ABC News US Justice Department Correspondent and member of the class of 1984 from Virginia Tech (spring); Diane Zahm, associate professor in Urban Affairs and Planning (fall).
2003: The Hon. Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr., chief justice, Virginia Supreme Court (spring); Dr. Ezra A. “Bud” Brown, professor of mathematics, Virginia Tech (fall).
2002: Mark R. Warner, Governor of Virginia (spring); Dr. L.A. “Andy” Swiger, dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech (fall).
2001: The Hon. Rick Boucher, Congressman, U.S. House of Representatives (spring); Dr. Charles J. Dudley, professor of sociology and director of the University Honors Program, Virginia Tech (fall).
2000: The Hon. John W. Warner, Senator from Virginia (spring); Arthur L. Buikema, Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, Virginia Tech
1999: Eric Schmidt, chairman and chief executive officer, Novell, Inc. (spring); Paul E. Torgersen, president, Virginia Tech and John W. Hancock Jr. Chair of Engineering (fall).
1998: James S. Gilmore III, Governor of Virginia (spring); James R. Craig, professor of geological sciences, Virginia Tech (fall).
1997: Raymond J. Lane, president and chief operating officer, Oracle Corporation (spring); Charles “Jack” Dudley, director, University Honors Program, Virginia Tech (fall).
1996: John Wilson, retired president, Washington and Lee University (spring); Lucinda Roy, Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies, Virginia Tech (fall).
1995: Beverly H. Sgro, Secretary of Education, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); James I. “Bud” Robertson, Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of History, Virginia Tech (fall).
1994: George F. Allen, Governor of Virginia (spring); Paul Antonie “Tony” Distler, Alumni Distinguished Professor and director of the Division of Performing Arts, Virginia Tech (fall).
1993: John M. Ashworth, director, London School of Economics and Political Science (spring); John Kelly, registrar (provost), University College Dublin (Ireland) (fall).
1992: Jack Nelson, Washington Bureau chief, Los Angeles Times (spring); Samuel D. Proctor, professor emeritus, Rutgers University and pastor emeritus, Abyssinian Baptist Church of New York (fall).
1991: Shaikh Saud Nasir Al-Sabah, Ambassador to Kuwait (spring); W. Ann Reynolds, chancellor, City University of New York (fall).
1990: L. Douglas Wilder, Governor of Virginia (spring); Mark O. Hatfield, United States Senator (fall)
1989: Mary Sue Terry, Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Virginia
1988: David Roselle, president, University of Kentucky
1987: Gerald Baliles, Governor of Virginia
1986: Neil Armstrong, astronaut
1985: Alexander F. Giacco, rector, Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and chairman of the board, Hercules, Inc.
1984: Charles Robb, Governor of Virginia
1983: Clifton C. Garvin, Jr., chairman of the board, Exxon Corp. (and Virginia Tech alumnus)
1982: Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., director, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (and Virginia Tech alumnus)
1981: William E. Lavery, president, Virginia Tech
1980: Jean Harris, Secretary of Human Resources, Commonwealth of Virginia
1979: Eric Severied, CBS News Correspondent
1978: John N. Dalton, Governor of Virginia
1977: Milton Friedman, recipient of the 1976 Nobel Prize in Economics
1976: E. F. Shannon, former president, University of Virginia
1975: Sam J. Ervin, former North Carolina Senator
1974: G. Burke Johnston, C. P. Miles Professor of English, Virginia Tech
1973: Bill Moyers, former press secretary to President L. B. Johnson
1972: David Brinkley, NBC News Correspondent
1971: Linwood Holton, Governor of Virginia
1970: T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech
1969: Warren W. Brandt, first president of Virginia Commonwealth University and former executive vice president, Virginia Tech
1968: T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech
1967: Mills E. Godwin, Governor of Virginia
1966: T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech
1965: Albertis S. Harrison, Governor of Virginia
1964: J. G. Farrar, president, Rockefeller Foundation
1963: Mills E. Goodwin, Lt. Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
1962: Colgate W. Darden, former Governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
1961: John M. Devine, Commandant of Cadets, Virginia Tech
1960: Albertis S. Harrison, Attorney General, Commonwealth of Virginia
1959: John N Thomas, professor of systematic theology, Union Theological Seminary