Attention soon-to-be graduates! Brandeis has announced the 2012 commencement speaker: Deborah Bial. Bial, who graduated from Brandeis herself in 1987, is the founder of the Posse Foundation. She’ll also receive an honorary degree.
According to President Fred Lawrence, “There is simply no better example of social justice in action than Debbie Bial.” The Posse Foundation assists thousands of promising high school students who would otherwise not be able to attend college to select colleges and universities. A “posse” of multicultural students is recruited to support one another through the stresses and challenges presented by college life. According to Bial, peer support is especially vital to the success of underrepresented and minority college students. The Science Posse program was recognized by the White House in February as an “effective program to bring under-represented, urban students from diverse backgrounds to college and help them graduate.”
Although many students are excited that Brandeis is honoring an exemplary member of our community, others are disappointed that the speaker was not a more well-known individual who could bring an outside perspective to the grads.
Brandeis’s 61st commencement will be held on May 20.
This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at Brandeis chapter.