19
November
2018
|
15:13 PM
America/New_York

Former congressman Pat Tiberi will be autumn commencement speaker

Tiberi is president and CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable

COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio State graduate and former congressman Patrick Tiberi will deliver Ohio State’s autumn commencement address. Approximately 3,500 degrees will be awarded at the ceremony, which begins at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 16 at the Schottenstein Center.

Pat TiberiTiberi has served as president and CEO of the Ohio Business Roundtable since January 2018. Previously, he represented central Ohio’s 12th district for 17 years in the U.S. House, and was Ohio’s second-longest-serving member of Congress when he stepped down in at the beginning of the year.

Tiberi has donated his congressional papers to Ohio State, and they will become part of the Ohio Congressional Archives. The Tiberi collection will be open to students, faculty and the general public for research in 2023, after the papers are sorted and arranged.

“I am honored to welcome former Congressman Pat Tiberi to speak at Ohio State’s autumn commencement ceremony,” said President Michael V. Drake. “As a distinguished public servant and Buckeye alumnus, he will offer an engaging and inspiring message to our graduates as they embark on the next exciting phase of their lives.”

A 1985 graduate of Ohio State who was a member of The Ohio State University Marching Band, Tiberi was elected to represent Ohio’s 12th Congressional District in November 2000. He served on the House Ways and Means Committee and chaired the Joint Economic Committee.

During his years in Congress, Tiberi focused on legislation related to tax reform, economic policy, trade agreements and health care, and saw a number of his bills on these issues signed into law. Prior to his election to the House, Tiberi worked as an aide to then-congressman John Kasich before serving in the Ohio House of Representatives from 1993 to 2000, where he rose to the position of majority leader. Tiberi was also a Realtor before being elected to Congress.

Tiberi received the 2015 Excellence in Public Service Award from the John Glenn College of Public Affairs in recognition of his strong legislative accomplishments and contributions to public service in Ohio and the nation.

During the ceremony, the university will present the Distinguished Service Award to Deborah A. Ballam, professor emerita who played a major role in the creation of The Women’s Place, and Valerie B. Lee, professor emerita and former vice provost and chief diversity officer.

To accommodate the increasing number of guests who wish to attend the university’s autumn commencement, tickets are required for all guests. Admission tickets are free, and must be ordered by graduates. Details and instructions are available here.