SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Syracuse University has chosen former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Donna Shalala as the speaker for the Class of 2023 commencement ceremony on May 14 in the JMA Wireless Dome.
Shalala earned master’s and doctoral degrees in social science from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. She is now a trustee professor of political science and health policy at the University of Miami, where she previously served as president from 2001-2015.
Prior to her work in academia, Shalala served as U.S. secretary of health and human services during the Clinton administration from 1993-2001, the longest-serving health and human services secretary in U.S. history.
Shalala is a member of the Maxwell advisory board and has been recognized with numerous awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the Nelson Mandela Award for Health and Human Rights, the National Public Service Award, and the Harry S. Truman Legacy of Leadership Award.