Governor Mark R. Warner to Deliver Keynote Address at
NSU Fall Commencement
 

Norfolk, Va.—The Honorable Mark R. Warner, governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, will deliver the keynote address at Norfolk State University’s commencement ceremony, scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, December 10, at Joseph G. Echols Memorial Hall. The procession will begin at 9:30 a.m.

This year nearly 500 students will participate in the commencement exercises. Governor Warner will also be receiving an honorary doctorate of humane letters.

Growing up in a middle class family where he learned the values of hard work, faith, family and the importance of a good education, Warner became the first member of his family to graduate from college. He earned a bachelor’s degree from George Washington University in 1977 and a law degree from Harvard Law School in 1980.

Since his inauguration in January 2002, Warner has taken a business-like approach to reforming government services and spending, navigating Virginia through $6 billion in revenue shortfalls, and streamlining state government while continuing to invest in education.

In 2004, Warner worked with bipartisan majorities in the General Assembly to win passage of what has been called the most comprehensive tax reform proposal considered by any state in the past decade. The plan makes the tax system fairer, keeps commitments in education, health and public safety, and helped reaffirm Virginia’s sterling Triple-A credit rating from Wall Street rating agencies. His ability to reach a bipartisan consensus on budget and tax reforms also led to Governing magazine to name him one of its 2004 Public Officials of the Year.

During this past legislative session, the Commonwealth launched the country’s most ambitious higher education restructuring effort, which has attracted national attention. The legislature maintained the Governor’s fiscally responsible approach to meeting long-term commitments in education, transportation, health care, public safety and other core services.

When he saw too many people falling on the wrong side of the digital divide, Warner started TechRiders, a program that brings free computer training classes to houses of worship all across Virginia. He also started the Virginia High-Tech Partnership to connect students at Virginia's five Historically Black Colleges and Universities with internships and jobs at leading high-tech companies.

Warner is married to Lisa Collis and is the father of three daughters—Madison, Gillian, and Eliza. For more information about NSU’s commencement exercises, call 823-8373 or visit www.nsu.edu.