Local News
Defense secretary to speak at UGA graduation
By Laura Diamond
Dec 16, 2009U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates will be the speaker at the University of Georgia's undergraduate commencement ceremony Friday.
The ceremony, which begins at 9:30 a.m., is not open to the public but will be streamed live at www.uga.edu.
About 1,700 seniors will be eligible to participate in the ceremony for undergraduates, according to UGA. Each graduating student was offered six tickets for the graduation ceremony.
Gates became defense secretary in 2006 and was appointed by President George Bush. President Barack Obama asked Gates to remain in the position.
Before serving in that position Gates was president of Texas A&M University. UGA President Michael Adams has described Gates as a "close colleague and good friend."
