Southeastern NEWS
                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504-549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           
    Date: November 27, 2000
      Contact:                           Rene Abadie  or Christina Chapple      28


Editors: Photo accompanies release

U.S DISTRICT JUDGE JAMES BRADY TO PRESENT COMMENCEMENT ADDRESS 

     HAMMOND   U.S. District Judge James J. "Jim" Brady of Baton Rouge will be the
keynote speaker at Southeastern Louisiana University's December 9 commencement program
scheduled at the University Center on University Avenue.
     At the 10 a.m. ceremony Southeastern President Sally Clausen will award an Honorary
Doctor of Humanities degree to Brady, who serves in the Middle District of Louisiana, in
recognition of his achievements and contributions to society, Southeastern, and the State of
Louisiana. The commencement will recognize 1,014 graduates of the summer and fall semesters.
     Brady, Southeastern's 1995 Alumnus of the Year, received his undergraduate degree in
history from Southeastern in 1966 and later earned his law degree from LSU School of Law. A
former member of several Louisiana and Washington, D.C. law firms, he was nominated to the
federal bench in July 1999 and was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in May 2000. Brady is a former
vice chairman and chairman of the Democratic State Central Committee and served as vice chair
of the Democratic Central Committee. He was named a charter member of the LSU Law Center
Hall of Fame in 1987.
     The ceremony will conclude the university's celebration of its 75th anniversary and will
feature the publication of a poem highlighting the anniversary. The poem, "Keeping the Lamp
Lit   Southeastern Louisiana University at 75," was written by Jack B. Bedell, Southeastern
assistant professor of English. 
     Bedell is a past recipient of the university's President's Award for Excellence in Artistic
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 Activities and is the author of "At the Bonehouse," a collection of poetry which won the
Breakthrough Award for Southern and Southwestern Poets. A Houma, La., native, Bedell is a
graduate of Northwestern State University and the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. His poem
was commissioned by the 75th Anniversary Steering Committee. 
     The commencement ceremony will feature the introduction of this year's class of
"Golden Graduates," members of the Class of 1950 and previous years, who will lead the new
graduates into the University Center dressed in golden academic regalia. The Golden Graduate
tradition was initiated in the December 1998 commencement ceremony. 
     Southeastern will start a new tradition at this commencement ceremony. Members of the
Class of 2000 will be asked to drop a new "gold" dollar into a container as they walk across the
stage to accept their diplomas. The contributions will be used to help finance future scholarships
for Southeastern students.  Southeastern's Golden Graduates will be the first to donate their
golden dollars on commencement day.   
                             -SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu./NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsf00.htm