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SHERMAN, TEXAS - Mary Robinson, former and first woman president of Ireland, will deliver the keynote address to more than 300 Austin College graduating seniors and their guests during the 2004 commencement exercises at 9 a.m.Sunday, May 16, 2004, on the north lawn of the Caruth Administration Building, 900 N. Grand Ave, in Sherman. (In the event of inclement weather, the exercises will be moved to Sid Richardson Center in the Robert T. Mason Athletic-Recreation Complex, also on campus.) More recently, Robinson has served as the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights. Robinson served as Ireland's president from 1990 to 1997 and then took on the U.N. position, which she held until 2002.Now based in New York, Robinson is leading a new project, the Ethical Globalization Initiative, with a goal to bring the norms and standards of human rights into the globalization process and to support capacity building in good governance in developing countries, with an initial focus on Africa.Throughout her varied career as an academic, legislator, and barrister, Robinson has served as a human rights advocate. Educated at the University of Dublin (Trinity College), King's Inns Dublin, and Harvard Law School, Robinson was elected chancellor of Trinity College in 1998.In addition to commencement ceremonies, the Austin College Class of 1954 will celebrate its 50-year graduation anniversary and will join the Golden 'Roo Society for reunion events throughout the weekend. Austin College President Oscar Page will present 50-year medallions and certificates to the alumni of 1954. For information about the reunion activities, contact the Office of Alumni Relations at 800-467-6646. Austin College, affiliated with the Presbyterian Church (USA), is an independent, liberal arts college of 1,300 students located 60 miles north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas. Chartered in November 1849, it is the oldest college in Texas under original charter and name as recognized by the State Historical Survey Committee. Austin College recently was profiled in Loren Pope's Colleges That Change Lives, ranked among the "Best 351 College" in the 2004 Princeton Review, and profiled in the 2004 edition of Kaplan's Insiders Guide to the 328 Most Interesting Colleges.
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