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Uploaded: Monday, February 25, 2013, 12:09 PM
Bloomberg to speak at Stanford commencement
University's graduation lineup includes computer science professor, civil rights organizer
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New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg will address graduates and their families at Stanford University's 122nd Commencement June 16, the university announced today.
Former Google research scientist and associate professor of computer science Mehran Sahami will deliver the Class Day Lecture, a Stanford tradition of having a "final lecture" delivered by a popular professor. Sahami's course Introduction to Computer Science: Programming Methodology is one of the largest and most popular undergraduate courses at Stanford, and Sahami is heavily involved in Stanford's initiatives in online learning.
Speaking at the Baccalaureate ceremony will be 2003 alumna Valarie Kaur, an award-winning filmmaker, civil rights advocate and interfaith organizer. She is the founding director of Groundswell, a nonprofit initiative at Auburn Seminary that mobilizes people of faith in social action.
Kaur, who earned a divinity degree from Harvard and a law degree from Yale, has combined storytelling and advocacy to lead campaigns for racial dignity, religious pluralism, immigrant rights, prison reform, and LGBTQ and gender equality.
The choice of Bloomberg as commencement speaker reflects the "entrepreneurial spirit" of Stanford, President John Hennessy said.
"We encourage our students to think big, to consider how they can make a difference in the world," he said.
"Businessman, entrepreneur, mayor, philanthropist – few people have demonstrated his vision and the breadth of his accomplishments. He built a company that is recognized worldwide as a pioneer in the financial news and information industry.
"As mayor, he has worked to diversify the city's economy, strengthen its schools, increase access to health care and reduce crime. And increasingly, he has dedicated himself to improving society through his philanthropic efforts. I expect our graduates will be inspired by a leader willing to tackle difficult issues and find innovative ways to address them."
Stanford was a top contender – but ultimately withdrew its application – in a 2011 Bloomberg administration competition to partner with the city in building a science and technology campus in New York City.
Stanford had proposed constructing a 10-acre applied science and engineering campus on New York City's Roosevelt Island.
Following Stanford's abrupt withdrawal in December 2011, Bloomberg selected Cornell University in partnership with Israel's Technion University in the competition for city-owned land and up to $100 million in funding to spark a Silicon Valley-style tech innovation hub in New York.
— Palo Alto Weekly staff Are you receiving Express, our free daily e-mail edition? See a sample and sign-up for Express.
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Posted by Barbara, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 1:31 pm Would have thought of a better choice. Wonder if he will bring a 16 oz. soda with him.
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Posted by Destroying-Liberty-One-Soda-At-A-Time, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 1:45 pm It's hard to believe he will, but let's hope that lots of graduates do!
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Posted by Sharon, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 3:43 pm He has to start the speaking circuit now as term limits has eased him out of office.
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Posted by West is Best, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 3:46 pm Bloomberg has not been kind to the West Coast in the past, let us hope this will change his mind. Easterners often look down on Stanford, in spite of the fact that JFK attended there.
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Posted by Deep Throat, a resident of another community, on Feb 25, 2013 at 3:50 pm I guess this is the start of Bloomberg's independent candidacy for the 2016 Presidential election.
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Posted by Brian, a resident of the Evergreen Park neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 4:20 pm Seems like a reasonable choice to me. Since he very well could be a presidential candidate, it will be a nice opportunity to hear him up close. He certainly has potential to attract a lot of the political "middle" ground.
The soda tax, while unlikely to be successful in fixing obesity and other ill effects of our diets, is certainly increasing the visibility of the problem and of one of its significant causes. I'm ambivalent about the tax, so that doesn't bother me.
Bloomberg's decision on the NYC campus, while disappointing for us, was likely necessary (politically) once Cornell got into the mix. I wouldn't hold that against him either.
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Posted by Brian, a resident of the Evergreen Park neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 4:25 pm Also, in response to "West is Best", I agree with your sentiment, but don't expect Easterners to treat us nicely because of Kennedy's Stanford connection. I doubt if many people realize that he spent an ENTIRE quarter here (after graduating from Harvard and before enlisting in the Navy). :)
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Posted by traitor, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 5:19 pm Bloomberg is a traitor to his fellow one percenters. After Hurricane Sandy wiped out parts of his city, Bloomberg became a believer in global warming. Other one percenters are holding the line on global warming denial, no matter how much evidence the scientists give them.
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Posted by Katie, a resident of the Downtown North neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 9:57 pm Can't govern his own city so he hits the high road out of dodge.
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Posted by Concerned, a resident of the Embarcadero Oaks/Leland neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 11:28 pm Ugh! I can't believe this gun-control nut will be speaking at my son's graduation. I'm sure he'll bring his armed security, and all the while wishing the rest of us will be denied such protection.
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Posted by Brian, a resident of the Evergreen Park neighborhood, on Feb 25, 2013 at 11:35 pm He's a gun control advocate? Now I'm beginning to really like him.
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Posted by Ho hum, Still not as good as Steve Jobs, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Feb 26, 2013 at 9:58 am Brian, thanks for the great and humorous clarification on the JFK "one quarter" at Stanford. And besides, people should stop comparing the two coasts educationally. Stanford does just fine with respect to the world's perception of it as a great educational and research institution, and now apparently, one of the best fundraisers, exceeding one billion this past year. Surpassing both Harvard and Yale!
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Posted by member, a resident of the Barron Park neighborhood, on Feb 26, 2013 at 11:33 am Are you kiddddddding me?
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Posted by twolitergunowner, a resident of another community, on Feb 26, 2013 at 1:39 pm A match made in heaven. A rapid hater of the constitution visits progressives seeking to destroy the rights of others because they know know whats best for others. You TPARS make me sick.
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Posted by Old Stanford Grad, a resident of the Duveneck/St. Francis neighborhood, on Feb 26, 2013 at 6:43 pm Let me see if I've got this straight: Hennessy and Stanford invest 3 million outside dollars plus much more in internal expenditures in a proposal for a campus in NYC. Bloomberg plays bait and switch at the last minute and Stanford bites the big one. Sayonara, Stanford, congrats Cornell!
Now Hennessy and Stanford are inviting the architect of this disaster to be the commencement speaker at Stanford's graduation ceremonies. Bloomberg, the very same guy who's using his big bucks to buy his way in, in an extraordinarily classless way, to London society. Question to psychology dept: Is Hennessy a masochist? Or will Bloomberg buy us the Bloomberg Underground Repository for excess sugar from 16 oz drinks in return for his visit?
This is even better than Carly Fiorina, architect of the HP disaster.
When my daughter graduated, Ted Koppel spoke.
When I graduated, someone else spoke, can't quite remember who, but he had something to do with cameras.
Oh Stanford, Brave Stanford...
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Posted by Nora Charles, a resident of Stanford, on Feb 26, 2013 at 7:54 pm Great choice. I like his common sense, no nonsense approach to issues and imagine he will give an inspirational speech.
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Posted by Big Al, a resident of Another Palo Alto neighborhood, on Feb 26, 2013 at 10:58 pm I guess Bradley Manning and Julian Asange are already taken by more prestigious institutions. Bloomy with have to do I suppose...
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Posted by neighbor, a resident of another community, on Feb 27, 2013 at 12:11 pm What makes some writers on this site SOOOO bitter? It's an unfortunate, and very public, glimpse of the new Palo Alto.
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Posted by Big, a resident of the Crescent Park neighborhood, on Mar 21, 2013 at 10:52 pm
Big is a member (registered user) of Palo Alto Online Great. Smart free thinking man. Better than Oprah. I mean what were they thinking?
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