White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is set to deliver the spring 2023 commencement speech at Rice University.
In a press release sent out Wednesday to announce Jean-Pierre as the speaker, the university touted what it called her “pioneering voice” as a daughter of Haitian immigrants and as the first Black, gay and immigrant woman to serve as White House press secretary.
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“Like many of you, Karine has broken barriers to get where she is today,” said Rice University President Reginald DesRoches in a message to the Rice community included in the release. “This part of her story was especially attractive to me and to the members of the student committee who nominated her to be this year’s commencement speaker.”
DesRoches predicted Jean-Pierre’s address would be “inspiring, relevant and authentic.”
The release went on to describe Jean-Pierre’s experience on the political campaigns and in the administrations of former President Barack Obama and President Joe Biden, as well as her experience as an analyst at NBC and MSNBC and working as chief public affairs officer for left-wing action group MoveOn.org.
It also touted her being a graduate of Columbia University and for her work at the American Civil Liberties Union and the New York City Council.
The ceremony will be held at Rice Stadium in Houston on May 6.