Senator Tina Smith Will Be Keynote Speaker at Hennepin Technical College 2018 Commencement
Hennepin Technical College is pleased to announce that Tina Smith, United States Senator from Minnesota, will be the keynote speaker at the college’s 2018 commencement ceremony, which will take place on Friday, May 11 at 11am at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
“It my tremendous honor to welcome Senator Smith to address our graduates,” said Hennepin Technical College President Dr. Merrill Irving, Jr. “The Senator has worked tirelessly for the good of our state in every position she’s held. She’s long been a strong voice for public education, in particular the critical role of career and technical education. We see the positive results of her support every day in our students, and in their access to a high-quality education.”
Hennepin Technical College will award diplomas and certificates to 1120 graduates in 44 programs of study. This year’s graduates include 117 who graduate with distinction, 398 who graduate with honors, 88 who are members of the Phi Theta Kappa honor society, and 85 who are veterans of the armed forces.
About Senator Smith
Tina Smith serves as United States Senator for Minnesota. She won a spot on the Senate Education Committee and has made bringing down the cost of college a top priority. Earlier this year, she successfully secured funding for the Open Textbooks Pilot—which allows professors, students, and researchers to freely access otherwise costly materials. Sen. Smith has also introduced legislation to expand job-training partnerships to help businesses find workers with the skills they need, and help students land good-paying jobs.
Prior to serving in the Senate, Sen. Smith served as Lieutenant Governor and traveled to every corner of the state to talk with, learn from, and work on behalf of Minnesotans on issues like expanding broadband access and early childhood education. She’s served as Chief of Staff to both Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak and Governor Mark Dayton.
Senator Smith is a graduate of Stanford University and earned an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.
Before her public service roles, she started her own small business and worked at General Mills. She and her husband, Archie, have been married for more than 30 years and have raised two sons, Sam and Mason.
About Hennepin Technical College
Founded in 1972, Hennepin Technical College is the largest technical college in Minnesota. With campuses in Brooklyn Park and Eden Prairie, Hennepin Technical College has a diverse student population of more than 18,000 and offers degree and non-degree coursework in over 45 programs. Achieving a 99% job placement rate within its network of industry partners, Hennepin Technical College prepares students for in-demand and high-paying employment opportunities. For more information, visit HennepinTech.edu.
Hennepin Technical College is a member of Minnesota State, which includes 30 colleges and seven state universities serving approximately 400,000 students. It is the fourth-largest system of two-year colleges and four-year universities in the United States.