Ambassador Joseph Wilson to Deliver Commencement Address at Nova Southeastern University

FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. – On Saturday, May 10, at 4 p.m., the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship, and the Fischler School of Education and Human Services will jointly hold Nova Southeastern University’s 2008 Undergraduate Commencement Exercises.

Former U.S. Ambassador Joseph Wilson will serve as commencement speaker and address an audience of more than 5,000 students, family members, and friends at the ceremony, which will be held at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Florida.

Wilson is known for his timely and astute insights on international policy, particularly toward Iraq and the Middle East. In 2002, Wilson was sent by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to investigate reports that Saddam Hussein was attempting to buy uranium from Niger to advance Iraq’s nuclear program. He publicly concluded in a July 2003 New York Times Op-Ed piece entitled “What I Didn’t Find in Africa” that there was no truth to the claims. Shortly thereafter, a leak exposed his wife, Valerie Plame, as a CIA operative in news reports. The subsequent grand jury investigation into the leak resulted in four federal felony convictions against Lewis Libby, the former chief of staff to Vice President Dick Cheney.

A member of the U.S. diplomatic service from 1976 through 1998, Wilson served as acting ambassador to Iraq during Operation Desert Shield. As the last American official to meet with Saddam Hussein before the start of the 1990 Gulf War, Wilson worked to free more than 100 American hostages after Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait.

Serving in the administrations of both major parties, Wilson’s highly decorated diplomatic career later encompassed posts as ambassador to the Gabonese Republic and to the Democratic Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, as well as senior government appointments, including senior director for African Affairs at the National Security Council and political advisor to the Commander-in-Chief of the United States Armed Forces, Europe.

In 2004, Wilson published a memoir entitled The Politics of Truth: Inside the Lies that Led to War and Betrayed My Wife’s CIA Identity: A Diplomat’s Memoir.

Don Rosenblum, Ph.D., dean of the Farquhar College of Arts and Sciences, praised the guest speaker in saying, “Ambassador Wilson illuminates vital issues concerning U.S. foreign policy with the insights of a dedicated statesman. He demonstrates the power of active citizenship and the importance of utilizing one’s own power to speak the truth.” Wilson has received numerous rewards and honors for his distinguished national service.

About Nova Southeastern University – Situated on 300 beautiful acres in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University is a dynamic fully accredited institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 26,000 students and is the sixth largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The university awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences. For more information visit www.nova.edu.

Media Contact:
Felecia Henderson, NSU Office of Public Affairs
954-262-5315 Office, fhenders@nova.edu