The following individuals delivered the University Commencement address at Virginia Tech (dating back to 1959):

2007: General John Philip Abizaid, U.S. Army (Ret.), former Commander of the United States Central Command (spring); E. Scott Geller, Alumni Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Applied Behavior Systems in the Department of Psychology in the College of Science (fall).

2006: Timothy M. Kaine, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); Henry J. Dekker, retired founder and president of North American operations for French couturier Louis Feraud, and past member of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors (fall).

2005: David Calhoun, president and CEO of GE Transportation Systems(spring); Minnis E. Ridenour, former executive vice president and chief operating officer at Virginia Tech and Senior Fellow and director of the Office of Government and Non-Profit Organization Management, Virginia Tech (fall).

2004: Pierre Thomas, ABC News U.S. Justice Department correspondent and 1984 graduate of Virginia Tech (spring); Dr. Diane Zahm, associate professor of urban affairs and planning in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Tech (fall).

2003: The Hon. Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr., chief justice, Virginia Supreme Court (spring); Dr. Ezra A. "Bud" Brown, professor of mathematics, Virginia Tech (fall).

2002: Mark R. Warner, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); Dr. L.A. "Andy" Swiger, dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech (fall).

2001: The Hon. Rick Boucher, congressman, U.S. House of Representatives (spring); Dr. Charles J. Dudley, professor of sociology and director of the University Honors Program, Virginia Tech (fall).

2000: The Hon. John W. Warner, senator, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); Arthur L. Buikema Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, Virginia Tech (fall).

1999: Eric Schmidt, chairman and chief executive officer, Novell Inc. (spring); Paul E. Torgersen, president, Virginia Tech, and John W. Hancock Jr., Chair of Engineering (fall).

1998: James S. Gilmore III, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); James R. Craig, professor of geological sciences, Virginia Tech (fall).

1997: Raymond J. Lane, president and chief operating officer, Oracle Corporation (spring); Charles "Jack" Dudley, director, University Honors Program, Virginia Tech (fall).

1996: John Wilson, retired president, Washington and Lee University (spring); Lucinda Roy, Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies, Virginia Tech (fall).

1995: Beverly H. Sgro, secretary of education, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); James I. "Bud" Robertson Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of History, Virginia Tech (fall).

1994: George F. Allen, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); Paul Antonie "Tony" Distler, Alumni Distinguished Professor and director of the Division of Performing Arts, Virginia Tech (fall).

1993: John M. Ashworth, director, London School of Economics and Political Science (spring); John Kelly, registrar (provost), University College Dublin (Ireland) (fall).

1992: Jack Nelson, Washington Bureau chief, Los Angeles Times (spring); Samuel D. Proctor, professor emeritus, Rutgers University and pastor emeritus, Abyssinian Baptist Church of New York (fall).

1991: Shaikh Saud Nasir Al-Sabah, ambassador to Kuwait (spring); W. Ann Reynolds, chancellor, City University of New York (fall).

1990: L. Douglas Wilder, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring); Mark O. Hatfield, U.S. senator (fall).

1989: Mary Sue Terry, attorney general, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1988: David Roselle, president, University of Kentucky.

1987: Gerald Baliles, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1986: Neil Armstrong, astronaut.

1985: Alexander F. Giacco, rector, Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and chairman of the board, Hercules Inc.

1984: Charles Robb, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1983: Clifton C. Garvin, Jr., chairman of the board, Exxon Corp. (and Virginia Tech alumnus).

1982: Christopher C. Kraft Jr., director, Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (and Virginia Tech alumnus).

1981: William E. Lavery, president, Virginia Tech.

1980: Jean Harris, secretary of human resources, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1979: Eric Severied, CBS News Correspondent.

1978: John N. Dalton, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1977: Milton Friedman, recipient of the 1976 Nobel Prize in economics.

1976: E. F. Shannon, former president, University of Virginia.

1975: Sam J. Ervin, former N.C. senator.

1974: G. Burke Johnston, C. P. Miles Professor of English, Virginia Tech.

1973: Bill Moyers, former press secretary to President L. B. Johnson.

1972: David Brinkley, NBC news correspondent.

1971: Linwood Holton, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1970: T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech.

1969: Warren W. Brandt, first president of Virginia Commonwealth University and former executive vice president, Virginia Tech.

1968: T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech.

1967: Mills E. Godwin, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1966: T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech.

1965: Albertis S. Harrison, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1964: J. G. Farrar, president, Rockefeller Foundation.

1963: Mills E. Goodwin, lieutenant governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1962: Colgate W. Darden, former governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1961: John M. Devine, commandant of cadets, Virginia Tech.

1960: Albertis S. Harrison, attorney general, Commonwealth of Virginia.

1959: John N. Thomas, professor of systematic theology, Union Theological Seminary.

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