National Capital Region Commencement Speakers

The National Capital Region began having its own commencement ceremonies and speakers in 1981. Beginning with that year, speakers have been the following:

1981 John D. Wilson, provost, Virginia Tech

1982 William E. Lavery, president, Virginia Tech

1983 David P. Roselle, dean, Research and Graduate Studies, Virginia Tech

1984 Roger A. Teekell, dean, Graduate School, Virginia Tech

1985 Robert H. Pry, president, Center for Innovative Technology, Virginia Tech

1986 G. Truman Ward ’51 and ’52, partner and principal, Ward Hall & Associates

1987 William E. Lavery, president, Virginia Tech

1988 John M. Perry, executive vice president, Virginia Tech

1989 James D. McComas, president, Virginia Tech

1990 E. Fred Carlisle, senior vice president and provost, Virginia Tech

1991 Gary R. Hooper, vice provost for research and dean, Graduate School, Virginia Tech

1992 Charles W. Steger Jr., acting vice president for public service and dean, College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Tech

1993 John Eaton, acting dean, Graduate School, Virginia Tech

1994 Leonard K. Peters, vice provost for research and dean, Graduate School, Virginia Tech

1995 Thomas M. Davis, member, U. S. Congress

1996 Donald S. Beyer Jr., lieutenant governor, Commonwealth of Virginia

1997 Peggy Fox ’86, anchor and reporter, Channel 9, Washington, D.C.

1998 George C. Newstrom, corporate vice president, EDS

1999 Daniel A. Domenech, superintendent, Fairfax County schools

2000 Vinton G. Cerf, senior vice president, Internet Architecture and Technology, MCI WorldCom

2001 Charles W. Steger Jr., president, Virginia Tech

2002 Mark McNamee, vice president for academic affairs and provost, Virginia Tech

2003 Belle S. Whelan, Secretary of State for Education, Commonwealth of Virginia

2004 Lawrence J. Korb, senior fellow, Center for American Progress

2005 Claire M. Fraser, president and director, Institute for Genomic Research

2006 Donald M. Norris, president, Strategic Initiatives

2007 Jim Moran, member, U.S. Congress

2008 Pierre Thomas ’84, ABC correspondent

2009 Shelley Duke, owner/manager, Rallywood Farm and member, Virginia Tech Board of Visitors

2010 Steve Gladis, president and CEO of Steve Gladis Communications

2011 Wayne Clough, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution and former professor and dean of the College of Engineering at Virginia Tech

2012 Laura Fornash, Virginia Tech alumna and Virginia Secretary of Education

2013 Austin Yamada, vice president for intelligence research at the Virginia Tech Applied Research Corporation, Arlington, Va.

2014 Karen R. Jackson, Secretary of Technology, Commonwealth of Virginia

2015 Paul Singh, managing director and general partner at 1776, a Washington D.C.-based global business incubator and seed fund

2016 The Honorable Jim Moran, Former Virginia Congressman and Professor of Practice, School of Public and International Affairs, Virginia Tech

2017 Mehul P. Sanghani, President and Chief Executive Officer, Octo Consulting Group Inc.

2018 Karen Roberto, University Distinguished Professor in the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences