University announces commencement speakers

Loyola has announced that journalist Tom Brokaw will headline this May's graduation ceremony as the commencement speaker.

Brokaw, a broadcast journalist best known for his work on the “NBC Nightly News,” will also receive an honorary degree from Loyola.

University president the Rev. Kevin Wildes, S.J., said Brokaw’s body of work in journalism and the impact Brokaw has had on the city made him a good choice to speak to this year's graduating class.


Wildes said he admires Brokaw's “commitment to excellence in his reporting, his work in history, and his work on behalf of the city of New Orleans, particularly the WWII Museum.”

In addition to the commencement speech given by Brokaw, the ceremony will include several presentations of honorary degrees.

Jazz vocalist Germaine Potter Bazzle, former managing editor of the New York Times Dean Baquet, and political commentators James Carville and Mary Matalin will be given honorary degrees as well.

Wildes said there is a board that reviews a list of possible candidates and helps him in the process of selecting the people Loyola will honor at the commencement.

“There is an honorary degree committee on campus that votes and nominates people,” he said. “The names go to the Board, Academic and Student Affairs committee, and the full Board votes, thereby creating a pool for the President to use.”

The commencement ceremony will be held in the Mercedes-Benz Superdome on May 11.

Hasani Grayson can be reached at hkgrayso@loyno.edu