Nine-time Emmy Award-winning television journalist Meredith Vieira (J '75) will speak at this year's Commencement Ceremony on May 18, the university has announced.
The co-anchor of NBC's "Today Show" and former "60 Minutes" correspondent will be awarded an honorary degree from her alma mater, along with five other recipients.
"Meredith Vieira is one of the most respected figures in American journalism today, with a unique perspective on both the news itself and the business of news," President Lawrence Bacow said in a press release. "Tufts is very proud to claim her as a distinguished graduate, and I know that her remarks will resonate with our graduates and their families."
In addition to her work at "The Today Show," Vieira hosts the TV show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." Vieira has also been a co-anchor for the "CBS Morning News," the chief correspondent for the ABC news magazine show "Turning Point" and a co-host of ABC's "The View."
"The criteria [for choosing Vieira] were really her outstanding position in American journalism, the model that she presents of engagement within a wide range of both social and political issues in a journalistic career that has spanned a wide variety of shows and broadcast institutions and certainly the fact that she is an extraordinary Tufts alumna," said Michael Baenen, Bacow's chief of staff.
Vieira majored in English as an undergraduate at Tufts. While Commencement speakers are not usually Tufts alumni, Gowa said Vieira's personal tie was a plus. "While it's good if the speaker has a Tufts connection, it clearly is not critical. I think we try to recognize people who haven't been widely recognized."
Vieira has leant assistance to Beyond Boundaries, Tufts' ongoing capital campaign, appearing in a 14-minute video promoting the drive.
According to Joanne S. Gowa, the chair of the Honorary Degree Committee for the Board of Trustees, the honorary-degree nomination process is "completely open."
"Anyone from the Tufts community can nominate someone to be a candidate for an honorary degree," Gowa said. "The only condition is that the person shows up for graduation."
Once all nominations are gathered, the Honorary Degree Committee whittles down the list of names, said Gowa. The president then finds out which people would be able to attend Commencement.
"We also try to make an effort to recognize people from a number of fields" at Commencement, Gowa added. "We not only like to recognize scientists, but artists and political figures."
This year, honorary degrees will go to Steven Manos, Tufts' executive vice president of 26 years; Mary Oliver, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet; Susan Rodgerson, an artist and engineer; and Robert S. Schwartz and Donald E. Wilson, medical professionals who have personal ties to Tufts.
Vieira was offered the Light on the Hill Award earlier this year by the Tufts Community Union Senate, but she declined. The award is offered once a year to a distinguished Tufts alum.
Director of Public Relations Kim Thurler said she did not know specifics about Vieira's decision. But she said it is unlikely a Commencement speaker would also recieve the Light on the Hill Award.
"Someone wouldn't accept both awards," she said.
