Senator Bernie Sanders to Deliver 2017 JSC Commencement Address

February 24, 2017

Johnson State College President Elaine C. Collins has announced that Senator Bernie Sanders will be the keynote speaker at the college’s 150th commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 13, 2017.

Senator Sanders was the four-term mayor of Burlington (1981-89), spent 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives and was elected to his current role as U.S. Senator in 2006. His grassroots-driven presidential campaign successfully raised the profile of economic, social, educational and environmental justice issues at the national level. And as the longest-serving independent in the U.S. Congress in American history, Senator Sanders continues to advocate for policies that serve all Americans, regardless of socioeconomic status.

“Senator Sanders’ ongoing commitment to social justice, environmental sustainability, and access to higher education resonates with our own college community’s values, and I am thrilled he will be able to share this day with us,” said President Collins.

Johnson State’s 150th commencement ceremony is a ticketed event, with seating under the tent reserved for graduating students, their guests and for others participating in the ceremony. Simulcasts of the ceremony will be broadcast on campus and a livestream of the ceremony will also be available online. More information about Johnson State’s commencement can be found at jsc.edu/commencement.

Located in the Green Mountains of Vermont near Stowe, Johnson State College is Vermont’s premier public liberal arts college and a leader in high-impact education that takes students into the laboratory, the field and the community through internships, research, study away, civic engagement and other career-building opportunities. On campus, JSC offers more than 50 undergraduate and graduate programs, with signature programs in education, health and environmental sciences, wellness and alternative medicine, and fine and performing arts, plus 15 Division III varsity sports. Off campus, it offers courses and degrees both online and in community locations throughout Vermont.