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New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill will receive an honorary degree from �鶹��ý���� at its annual Commencement Exercises on Tuesday, May 12 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Sherrill, who has devoted her career to serving others as a Navy helicopter pilot, former federal prosecutor and Congresswoman before becoming New Jersey’s 57th Governor, will give the Commencement address as part of the morning ceremony.

“Governor Sherrill embodies the values at the core of �鶹��ý����,” says �鶹��ý���� President Jonathan Koppell. “Her lifelong commitment to public service, her pursuit of a more equitable and inclusive society and her record of transparent, fact-driven policymaking align closely with our mission. She has been part of the Red Hawk community for years as our neighbor and Congressional representative, and I am honored to have her address our graduates during her first Commencement as Governor.”

Governor Sherrill’s time in office – representing New Jersey’s 11th Congressional District before becoming Governor in January – has been defined by efforts to better the lives of Garden State residents, families and our many diverse communities. As Governor, she has focused on making New Jersey affordable by freezing utility rate hikes and promoting a more transparent and accountable state government.

After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1994 – the first class of women eligible for combat roles on ships and aircraft – Governor Sherrill spent 10 years on active duty in the U.S. Navy, where she served as a Sea King Helicopter pilot and led missions throughout Europe and the Middle East.

Following her time in the Navy, she graduated from law school and worked in private practice before joining the U.S. Attorney’s Office in New Jersey. As an Outreach and Re-entry Coordinator, she established programs to develop trust between law enforcement and the communities they serve and helped people leaving prison to gain employment, housing and education to restart their lives. As an Assistant U.S. Attorney, she prosecuted federal cases to keep the state’s communities safe and worked to take illegal guns off the streets of New Jersey.

�鶹��ý����’s Commencement Exercises will be held on both May 11 and May 12 at the Prudential Center. For more information, visit �鶹��ý����’s commencement website.