Former mayor, local reverend to speak
The University of Indianapolis announced its selection of speakers for the 2011 graduate and undergraduate commencements. Two-term Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson and the Rev. Dr. Kent Millard of St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, the largest Methodist-based church in Indiana, will speak at the graduate and undergraduate commencement ceremonies, respectively.
“[Peterson and Millard] are both well-known in their field,” said University of Indianapolis President Beverley Pitts. “They are both known to be extraordinary public speakers. They are both people I believe our students can look up to and they’re both people who I believe will have a message that will be very appropriate for our graduates. And that’s really what you want in a commencement speaker.”
Peterson, who will speak at the Graduate Programs Commencement which begins at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 6, received his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1983. He served two terms as mayor of Indianapolis from 2000 to 2007. He also served as President of the National League of Cities in 2007. Peterson joined the University of Indianapolis Board of Trustees in 2009.
“[Peterson] is a well-known person in Indianapolis,” Pitts said. “He is very engaged in education reform and K-12 education, and we are too. That’s a strong connection for us in terms of our School of Education.”
Peterson will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree at the ceremony.
Millard will give the address at the Undergraduate Commencement, which starts at 2 p.m. on Saturday, May 7.
Since 1993, Millard has been the senior pastor at St. Luke’s United Methodist Church, which has a congregation of 6,000 people. Previously, he spent 23 years in South Dakota serving congregations.
Millard earned his Doctor of Ministry degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago after graduating from Boston University School of Theology and Graduate School. He received the Distinguished Alumni award from the Boston University School of Theology in 1987.
Millard currently serves as founding chairperson of the Indiana Math and Science Charter School Board. He is president of the Indianapolis Interfaith Hunger Initiative, which brings many religions together to eliminate hunger in Indianapolis and in a county in Kenya.
Millard served two terms on the UIndy Board of Trustees, finishing in 2010.
“I believe that [Millard] is a good choice for the university,” said senior Caitlin Deranek. “Reverend Millard is an important person not only in the UMC, but in the Indianapolis community. He will be able to see how to inspire us in the next phase of our lives.”
Millard will receive an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree at the ceremony.
“My goal for this address is to inspire graduating seniors to discover their own inner passion to create a more compassionate and inclusive world community,” Millard said.
Pitts hopes there is a particular message that Peterson and Millard will convey to graduating students.
“I always hope that commencement speakers will help young people recognize that they’re not done learning,” Pitts said. “That this is a step, but it’s not as drastic a step as it might seem; that although you’re changing your environment, you’re going to continue to learn, you’re going to continue to grow and change.”
For those who cannot attend, there is another option to watch the Undergraduate Commencement. Starting at 2 p.m. on May 7, UIndy will be streaming a live webcast of the ceremony. This recorded video, which offers three-camera coverage of the ceremony, will be available online at www.uindy.edu/graduation for 60 days after the ceremony.
