Lewis
During Miami University's commencement ceremony this May, graduating seniors will experience a bit of freedom - Freedom Summer, that is.
Georgia Rep. John Lewis was chosen as the commencement speaker for the spring graduation, and according to senior director of university communications, Richard Little, Lewis was chosen because of his close ties with Miami and the Oxford community.
"He has already been submitted for an honorary degree for his involvement with civil rights and his connection to the Oxford area," Little said.
Lewis was part of the 1964 Freedom Summer Project, held on Miami's Western Campus, where he helped train students to go to Mississippi to register blacks to vote.
Ann Elizabeth Armstrong, assistant professor in the department of theater, co-directs the Finding Freedom Summer program with Mary Jane Berman, director of the Center for American and World Cultures.
"I believe that Rep. Lewis would be an extraordinarily powerful speaker at commencement (because) it is clear that (his) accomplishments today have been clearly shaped by the choices and dilemmas he experienced as a young person, more specifically the choices he made as a college student and immediately after his own college education," Armstrong said. "Not only is he a charismatic public speaker, he also exemplifies the moral character and commitment to public service that we want to encourage in our students as they are launched into the next phase of their life."
This year Miami had a new process for selecting a commencement speaker. In the past, the university president would choose the speaker based off of recommendations. President David Hodge wanted the involvement of the community and varied input, according to Little, so a committee was established to review and choose the speaker.
A committee of students and faculty members reviewed the suggestions for candidates.
Several names were sent to Hodge but the committee supported and endorsed Lewis. According to Little, the committee was looking for someone who could speak to and had a connection with the graduating seniors.
The committee hoped Lewis would offer the students an uplifting, personalized message, Little said.
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Lewis will be speaking for 15 minutes during the commencement ceremony.
"(The speech is about) people inspiring him to seek out public service to our country," Little said.
Although the news of Lewis speaking at graduation was just announced to students, the committee chose Lewis was waiting until after spring break to publicize their decision, due largely in part to the implementation of this new selection process.
Miami senior Cyleigh Brez said although she does not know who Lewis is, she is interested in hearing what he has to say to students.
"I'm not familiar with his background," Brez said. "(But) I'm interested to hear what advice he has to say."
Brez said that by talking about Lewis's participation in Freedom Summer, he could possibly show what students can offer to the school and how they can impact Miami.
This will not be the first time Lewis will speak at Miami. He was last at the university in 2004 as the keynote speaker for a Voices of Freedom Summer Conference and Reunion, according to Little. All of the members involved in Freedom Summer in 1964 were invited back to campus for the 40th anniversary.
Before he became involved in politics, Lewis was a nationally recognized leader. By 1963, he was named one of the Big Six leaders of the civil rights movement, Little said.
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