Newswise — University of New Hampshire Interim President J. Bonnie Newman announced that George H. W. Bush, 41st president of the United States, and William J. Clinton, 42nd president of the United States, will be the keynote speakers at UNH's 137th commencement on Saturday, May 19, 2007.
No strangers to the Granite State, then Vice President Bush was the keynote at the 1987 UNH commencement, and President Clinton often campaigned on the campus during his presidential bids in the 1990s.
"The world as we know it has changed remarkably since these two world leaders visited the Granite State, and in the ways it has changed for the better, both President Bush and President Clinton are largely responsible for the good," said Newman.
Since running against each other in 1992, the two former presidents came together at the request of President George W. Bush, following the tsunami in southern Asia in 2004. Former Presidents Bush and Clinton visited the region together and raised money for rebuilding homes and lives ravaged by the tsunami, which left more than 200,000 people dead or missing.
And their work together did not stop there. The former presidents raised more than $130 million for Hurricane Katrina relief in Louisiana and Mississippi. More than 500,000 families lost their homes in the hurricane.
"In today's political climate, these two men remind all of us of what people can accomplish to promote tolerance and bipartisanship, and they lead by example," Newman said. "It is a deep privilege for our students and their families, and the campus community to hear a message of hope, partnership, and action." UNH's 137th commencement takes place Saturday, May 19. Students and families are urged to check the UNH commencement Web site often for updates on this event, as security will be tight for both participants and spectators. The URL is http://www.unh.edu/commencement/.
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