U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci will be the keynote speaker for Hofstra University’s midyear graduation ceremony on Dec. 21, as announced by the university on Thursday.
Fauci, the former chief medical advisor to the U.S. president and the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, will also be presented with an honorary degree from Hofstra.
Dr. Fauci, a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Weill Cornell Medicine, holds 62 honorary doctoral degrees from various universities.
The ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Mack Sports and Exhibition Complex, starting at 7 p.m. Fauci will address around 600 undergraduate, graduate, and law students who have completed their degree requirements in the summer or fall of 2023.
Born in Brooklyn, Fauci received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008 from President W. George for his contributions to advancing treatments for HIV/AIDS. He gained widespread recognition during the peak of the coronavirus pandemic under then-President Donald Trump and retired from federal service last winter, after more than five decades in government.
While the COVID-19 pandemic introduced him to millions of Americans, he has also provided continuous updates to the nation about numerous outbreaks, including HIV/AIDS, SARS, pandemic flu, Ebola, and the 2001 anthrax attacks.
Many of the students he will address had their education disrupted due to the global pandemic.
“This commencement will be memorable,” said Donald Schaeffer, chair of the Hofstra University Board of Trustees. “These students are among those whose schooling was interrupted by COVID-19, and Dr. Fauci’s address will undoubtedly bring their experience full circle. As a doctor and a medical scientist, who has served with honor and distinction, he will help make this a special event for the graduates and their families.”
This event, which will be live-streamed on Hofstra’s YouTube page, will be ticketed. If you’re interested in learning more click here.
Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this article.
Top: Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, speaks during a press briefing at the White House, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022, in Washington. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)
