AMHERST, Mass. — U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern, who represents the Second District of Massachusetts, will be the featured speaker at the University of Massachusetts Amherst graduation ceremony on Friday, May 13 at 4:30 p.m. at McGuirk Alumni Stadium.
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The congressman will address an anticipated crowd of approximately 20,000 family members, friends and other guests as nearly 7,000 graduates pursue bachelor’s degrees at the Commonwealth’s premier campus.
UMass Amherst Chancellor Kumble R. “Congressman McGovern has been a champion for human rights, an influential legislator in the fight to end food insecurity in America, and a tireless advocate for the people of Massachusetts,” Subbaswamy said. “He was instrumental in getting direct funding for UMass and our students through three COVID-19 relief bills during the pandemic. We are honored to have him as our special speaker.”
About Congressman McGovern
Elected to the US House of Representatives in 1996, McGovern grew up in the blue-collar Burncott neighborhood of Worcester, Mass. It was there, he says, that he learned the values for which he fights every day in Congress: fairness, integrity, justice and decency.
McGovern worked through college as an intern for Democratic South Dakota Sen. George McGovern (no relation), earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and a degree in public administration from American University in Washington, D.C. In 1984, he was the youngest person ever nominated a candidate for President of the United States McGovern’s name in controversy, saying that “the supreme duty of any elected official is to express his dissent from policies that are wrong, whatever the political polluters and pundits may say. “
As press secretary and legislative director to Congressman Joe Mockley, McGovern put his beliefs into practice. After widespread outrage over the massacre of six Jesuit priests in El Salvador, Mokley asked McGovern to lead a congressional investigation into the incident. McGovern revealed that the killings were carried out by the US-backed Salvadoran military – leading to public outrage and human rights restrictions on future aid to the country.
McGovern’s principled beliefs have earned her the confidence of her constituents and the admiration of her colleagues and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who named her chair of the powerful House Rules Committee in 2019.
Congressman’s many achievements include his successful efforts to increase Pell Grant funding for low-income students, creating a program to provide nutritious meals in schools for millions of the world’s poorest children, and helping global human rights abusers with sanctions. Including the passing of targeting laws. He says the highest honor of his life was to share a prison cell with the late Congressman and civil rights hero John Lewis (D-GA), when the pair were arrested outside the Sudanese embassy for protesting the Darfur massacre. .
McGovern is married to Lisa Murray McGovern. They live in Worcester with their children Patrick and Molly.
About the start of UMass Amherst
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Graduation ceremony for the graduating class of 2022 is the 152nd UMass Amherst start. Approximately 7,000 graduates are expected to receive their degrees at McGuirk Alumni Stadium on the UMass Amherst campus. The ceremony will begin at 4:30 pm rain or shine and is scheduled to end at around 6:30 pm. The ceremony is free and tickets are not required.
As the stadium gates open at 2 p.m., guests should plan to arrive on campus by that time and will be directed to free parking on campus and shuttle buses that will take them from the parking lot to the stadium. Services are available for guests with limited mobility and other disabilities. Details are available on the accessibility page of the Start website.
