“Mr. Panetta is a man of depth and integrity, upon whom our nation depends to provide information critical to national security. We look forward to hearing the insight he will share with this year’s graduating class as they take this momentous step in their lives,” President Shirvani said.
In addition to heading the Central Intelligence Agency, Mr. Panetta served as President Bill Clinton’s White House Chief of Staff from 1994 to 1997. He has been a lawyer, professor of Public Policy at Santa Clara University and served 16 years in the U.S. House of Representatives.
He is also the founder and director of the Panetta Institute, which provides students with study opportunities in government, politics and public policy.
Mr. Panetta graduated magna cum laude with a BA in Political Science from Santa Clara University, and went on to receive his Juris Doctor from the Santa Clara University School of Law. He received the Army Commendation Medal before discharging as a First Lieutenant in 1966. He has also received honorary doctorates from the University of Wisconsin-Parkside and Northeastern University.
Attached, you will find a photo and brief biography of Mr. Panetta.
For more information about the Panetta Institute, go to http://www.panettainstitute.org/