Former U.S. Treasury Secretary, President of Ireland to speak

Former U.S. Treasury Secretary Paul O’Neill and the president of Ireland, Michael Higgins, will be speaking at the IU commencement ceremonies this weekend. 

Both alumni of IU, Higgins and O’Neill have previously been sought after as commencement speaker.

Kelly Kish, deputy chief of staff for the Office of the President, said the office approached Higgins and O’Neill more than two years ago, but the timing had not been suitable.

Last year, though, the office was able to secure both Higgins and O’Neill for the 2014 spring ceremony.

President Higgins will speak at both the 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. undergraduate ceremonies Saturday and O’Neill will make his appearance at the 3 p.m. Friday ceremony.

Each speaker will also be presented with a Doctor of Humane Letters degree at the ceremonies.

IU President Michael McRobbie said in a press release that the diverse backgrounds and experiences of the speakers for the commencement ceremonies characterize the opportunities and achievements IU’s future graduates will soon face.

“Indiana University is deeply honored to have two outstanding alumni, both recognized internationally for their long commitment to public service, addressing our graduates this spring in Bloomington,” McRobbie said.

President Higgins was born in Limerick, Ireland, and raised in County Clare. According to the release, he received a Master of Arts degree in sociology from IU in 1967.

Before that, he worked as a factory worker and a clerk and attended the University College Galway in Ireland and the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, becoming the first person in his family to study at a university.

Focused on representing equality and justice, Higgins spent years increasing his level of responsibility in government, from working as a councilor, becoming the Mayor of Galway and spending over 20 years within the Irish Parliament. He was elected as the ninth president of Ireland in 2011.

Higgins is also a writer and poet, with two published collections of essays and four collections of poetry.

O’Neill has had a wide range of positions after receiving a Master of Public Affairs degree from IU in 1966. From 1961 to 1967, O’Neill worked as a computer systems analyst in the U.S. Veterans Administration and for 10 more years continued the same work for the Office of Management and Budget.

He then spent 13 years as the chairman and CEO of the aluminum corporation, Alcoa, according to a press release.

In 2001, he was selected as the 72nd secretary of the treasury under President George W. Bush. O’Neill and worked to restore economic confidence by fighting terrorist funding and money laundering following the attacks of Sept. 11. He spent his time in the office improving the nation’s health care systems and the U.S. tax code, as well.

“Paul O’Neill has been an extraordinarily successful leader in all sectors of the economy – public, private and non-profit,” said John Graham, Dean of School of Public and Environmental Affairs. “His dedication to public and community service, his business acumen and his strong sense of integrity, occasionally in the face of powerful opposition, are qualities well worth honoring.”

Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel, U.S. District for the Southern District of California, will be the keynote speaker for the Maurer School of Law at 3 p.m. for the law graduation recognition Saturday.

Jessica Campbell