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Austin, Texas Mayor Steve Adler to Render HT’s Commencement Address

(AUSTIN, Texas) 3.23.16 — Austin, Texas Mayor Steve Adler will render the Huston-Tillotson University Commencement Convocation address on Saturday, May 7, 2016, at 8:30 a.m. The ceremony will held on the Huston-Tillotson University athletic field, located at 900 Chicon Street. 

Mayor Adler became Austin’s 52nd mayor in January 2015 after practicing law for nearly ten years. An attorney, civic leader, and resident of Austin for more than four decades, Mayor Adler believes that Austin is a great city capable of doing big things. The first in his family to graduate from college along with his brother, Mayor Adler attended Princeton and the University of Texas Law School on scholarships. He also founded a successful eminent domain law practice representing landowners.

Mayor Adler also spent almost ten years as chief of staff and general counsel for State Senator Eliot Shapleigh, working primarily on school finance, equity, and access issues.

Mayor Adler has been deeply involved, and even chaired, many Austin civic and non-profit institutions over the past 20 years.

The 2016 ceremony represents the first HT commencement program for President and Chief Executive Officer Colette Pierce Burnette, in addition to the first degree conferring for graduates earning a master’s degree.

 Commencement Convocation occurs in conjunction with Huston-Tillotson University’s Honors Convocation and Reunion Weekend 2016 activities. Honors Day Convocation, recognizing students who have earned high academic honors, is scheduled on Friday, May 6 at 10 a.m. in King-Seabrook Chapel.  Reunion Weekend activities begin on Thursday, May 5 at the Holiday Inn Midtown and continue through Saturday.  Registration and packet information is online at https://htu.edu/alumni/reunion-weekend-2016. In addition to the ceremony for the 2016 graduates, HT’s 50th year Class of 1966 will be honored at the graduation program and throughout the weekend festivities in addition to members of classes ending in 6s and 1s. This year’s 50th year class includes the Honorable Ora Houston who serves as Austin City Councilwoman, District 1.  Houston becomes the second HT graduate to serve on the City Council with the Honorable Charles E. Urdy, Class of 1954, serving in the Place 6 seat from 1981 to 1994.  The Class of 1966 will be honored with a City of Austin Proclamation that will be presented on Thursday, May 5 at 5:30 p.m. before the City Council meeting.

For more information about Reunion Weekend 2016, Honors, or Commencement Convocations, call 512.505.3073, or visit the Web site at www.htu.edu.  Convocations are open to the public. Event parking is available on Chalmers Avenue.