Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham will be giving the commencement speech for the Spring 2019 Commencement Ceremony.
University of New Mexico Preside Garnett Stokes said in a written statement that the decision to invite the recently-elected governor came after she spoke to student leaders around campus.
“(Student leaders) overwhelmingly identified the Governor as an ideal choice to inspire our Lobos as they take the next steps in their journey," she wrote.
Grisham has received both her undergraduate and law degree at UNM. She served as the U.S. Representative for CD-1, which includes Albuquerque, for five years before being elected as governor in November 2018.
Recently, a letter from Grisham’s office informed UNM officials that salaries for faculty and staff had to be raised by 4 percent. The vote on the University’s budget, scheduled on Tuesday, has been postponed as a result.
Last year’s keynote speaker was Ian McKinnon, founding partner of Sandia Holdings, LLC.
Commencement will take place on May 11 in Dreamstyle Arena — aka The Pit. Departments will hold their own convocations that same weekend.
Kyle Land is the editor-in-chief for the Daily Lobo. He can be contacted by email at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @kyleoftheland.
