It is a historic day at Rutgers, as President Obama is set to speak at the 250th commencement ceremony for the university. He is the first sitting President to ever speak at a Rutgers commencement. Obama will be the seventh President to receive an honorary degree from Rutgers, and the first since Dwight Eisenhower.
White House spokesman Keith Maley said this back in April when it was announced President Obama would be speaking on the banks:
"Rutgers University is one of the oldest universities in the country with a long and distinguished history of advancing research and preparing students with the skills they need to succeed in the new economy."
If you love history like I do, this is a tremendous account of all the Presidents who have visited Rutgers over the years. President Clinton announced the formation of AmeriCorps at Rutgers in 1993, which was the last time a sitting President spoke on campus. However, it recalls many Presidents who have visited campus while on the campaign trail, including President Abraham Lincoln and at the time, future President Teddy Roosevelt.
Circling back to the present, here is an interview that the Daily Targum had with President Obama this past Monday. Kudos to Targum Editor-In-Chief Dan Corey on conducting a first class interview. Thankfully, after some speculation the Targum may no longer be funded, its future is secure for now.
This article covers how Rutgers has been pursuing President Obama to speak at this historic commencement ceremony since 2013.
No matter your politics or personal feelings on the current President, there is no denying this is a great moment for Rutgers in having the leader of our country speaking at commencement, helping to commemorate the 250th anniversary of our university.
President Obama's commencement address is being streamed live on BTN2Go and click here to view. If you don't have a BTN plus subscription to view, the Big Ten Network is re-airing the address tonight at 10:30 p.m. The Asbury Park Press is also streaming the address live here.