A former treasury secretary and the co-founder of a medical charity will speak at the GW Law School and the School of Medicine and Health Sciences graduation ceremonies this May.
John William Snow, who graduated from the GW Law School in 1967, served as the 73rd U.S. secretary of the treasury from 2003 to 2006 under former President George W. Bush. Snow currently works as president of JWS Associates, a Richmond-based consulting firm.
Last fall, then-Dean Frederick M. Lawrence informally approached Snow about serving as the speaker for the law school.
“Dean Lawrence always had the desire to feature alumni on this important day and was able to bring some of our most prominent GW law alumni – including Sen. Daniel Inouye [Securities and Exchange Commission], Sec. Mary Schapiro, and [former Democratic National Committee] Chairman Charles Manatt – to campus to give inspiring and valuable remarks to the students on the day they themselves become alumni,” Claire Duggan, associate director of public relations for the law school, said.
Interim Dean Gregory Maggs, who took over in January, finalized arrangements with Snow and “couldn’t be happier to welcome him this year,” Duggan said.
After graduating from the University, Snow served on the faculty as a law professor. He has also taught economics at the University of Maryland and the University of Virginia, and has served as a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and the Yale School of Management.
For the graduation ceremonies for SMHS, Dr. William P. Magee, Jr., will take the stage as speaker.
A leading plastic and craniofacial surgeon, Magee co-founded Operation Smile with his wife in 1982. Operation Smile is a worldwide children’s medical charity that provides free surgeries for children with severe cleft lips and palates.
Magee could not be reached for comment.
Magee, who graduated from SMHS in 1972, was selected as the speaker last fall with the help of the class council and the SMHS graduation committee, which asked for suggestions from the student body before narrowing down the list.
