U.S. Sen. Gary Peters To Address Alma Graduates

U.S. Sen. Gary PetersGary Peters, a political science major and career public servant who was elected to the U.S. Senate in 2014, will return to his alma mater to deliver the 2015 Alma College commencement address.

Peters, a 1980 graduate, also will receive an honorary Doctor of Letters degree during the ceremony for approximately 300 graduation candidates.

Commencement takes place at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 18 in the Hogan Center, Art Smith Arena. A baccalaureate service precedes graduation at 10:30 a.m. in Dunning Memorial Chapel.

“Gary Peters grew up in Oakland County, attended Alma College and has become one of our state’s most accomplished leaders,” says Alma College President Jeff Abernathy. “He has a strong commitment to higher education and specifically to liberal arts education as a solution for the challenges to today’s society. We are proud of Sen. Peters’ accomplishments as an Alma graduate, and I’m delighted that he has arranged his schedule to speak to our graduating seniors.”

In Congress, Peters serves on the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Homeland Security and Government Reform Committee, the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship and the Joint Economic Committee.

Peters began his public service as a Rochester Hills City Councilman in 1991. In 1994, he was elected to the Michigan State Senate where he represented communities in Oakland County. He later served as the Michigan State Lottery Commissioner.

He was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2008 and served on the House Financial Services Committee, where he played a central role in shaping financial reform legislation.

Born in Pontiac, Peters graduated from Rochester High School and went on to Alma College where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree while working part time to help pay his way. Peters later went on to earn an MBA in finance from the University of Detroit Mercy, a law degree from Wayne State University Law School and master’s degree from Michigan State University.

At Alma, he was a residence hall advisor, president of the junior class and a member of the Zeta Sigma fraternity. He spent the fall of his senior year studying abroad at the Alma College program in Paris.

“Throughout my career, both in public service and the private sector, I have found that my liberal arts education from Alma has served me well,” said Peters in a story that appeared in the Alma Accents alumni magazine. “My major was political science, but the wide range of courses that I took, and the experiences that I was exposed to, have given me a broad perspective that has made a difference in my life and work.”

The ceremony will be streamed live on the Alma College website.

Story published on March 17, 2015