Christopher Reeve will speak at spring commencement

COLUMBUS – Actor, director and activist Christopher Reeve will be the speaker for Ohio State’s spring commencement set for June 13 in Ohio Stadium. Approximately 5,500 students will receive degrees during the ceremony, which begins at 9:30 a.m.

Graduates and guests can find complete information on the ceremony at http://www.osu.edu/commence/

Reeve is perhaps best known for his role in the film “Superman.” However, since he was paralyzed in an equestrian competition in 1995, Reeve has put a human face on spinal cord injury and has become a strong advocate for spinal-cord research.

“Christopher Reeve represents every ideal that Ohio State students value, and I’m sure graduates will be inspired by his message,” said J. Briggs Cormier, president of the Council of Graduate Students and student chair of the commencement speaker selection committee.

“In choosing the commencement speaker, our students expressed a strong interest in hearing from someone whose principles are the ones that we value – giving back to the community and going out to do good in the world. Reeve’s personal story is compelling and he has been a tireless advocate for many important causes. I expect that his address will challenge our graduates to strive for those same ideals,” Cormier said.

In 1999, Reeve became chairman of the board of the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation; a national, nonprofit organization that supports research to develop effective treatments and a cure for paralysis caused by spinal cord injury and other central nervous system disorders. The foundation also allocates a portion of its resources to grants that improve the quality of life for people with disabilities.

Reeve has also campaigned to pursue research on embryonic stem cells and its potential to cure a wide variety of diseases and conditions including spinal-cord injuries.

As vice chairman of the National Organization on Disability, he works on quality of life issues for the disabled. In partnership with Sen. Jim Jeffords (I-Vt.) he helped pass the 1999 Work Incentives Improvement Act, which allows people with disabilities to return to work and still receive disability benefits. Reeve is on the Board of Directors of World T.E.A.M. Sports, a group that organizes and sponsors challenging sporting events for athletes with disabilities.

After graduating from Cornell University in 1974, Reeve pursued his dream of acting. He made his Broadway debut opposite Katharine Hepburn in “A Matter of Gravity” in 1976. Film credits include “Superman” in 1978 and subsequent sequels as well as the Oscar-nominated “The Remains of the Day.” Reeve made his directorial debut with “In the Gloaming” on HBO in 1997. The film was nominated for five Emmy awards and won six Cable Ace Awards.

Reeve’s autobiography, “Still Me,” was published by Random House in 1998 and spent 11 weeks on the New York Times Bestseller List. His second book, “Nothing is Impossible: Reflections on a New Life,” was published in September 2002.

Reeve’s community and political involvement pre-dates his spinal cord injury. Over the years, he has served as a national spokesman on behalf of the arts, campaign finance reform and the environment.

Last year, President George W. Bush delivered Ohio State’s spring commencement address. Previous speakers have included actor Bill Cosby (2001), Rep. J.C. Watts, R-Oklahoma, (2000), Dumisa Ntsebeza, a member of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (1999), columnist Bob Greene (1998), and author John Jakes (1996).