Apple’s Tim Cook Headlines GWSB Commencement Speaker Schedule

Commencement at George Washington University takes place over the entire course of this week before coming to its conclusion on Sunday, May 17. Those receiving their MBAs from the GW School of Business have an impressive array of talented and influential people set to speak to them during the ceremonies.

Tim Cook, CEO of Apple, will be the university-wide commencement speaker. Once named to Time magazine’s 100 most influential people and the Financial Times’ Person of the Year for 2014, Cook joined Apple in 1998. He served as the company’s chief operating officer before being named Steve Jobs’ successor as CEO. Cook earned a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke University, where he was a Fuqua Scholar.

Along with Cook, GW is also inviting a graduate to speak at commencement in front of his peers: U.S. Marine Captain Richard Ruiz

Captain Ruiz is a graduate student in the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences. According to the GW website, after becoming a husband and father during his senior year of high school, Capt. Ruiz worked at night to provide for his family. He persevered, graduated, joined the Marine Corps and became a decorated officer. In 2005, Capt. Ruiz graduated from Oregon State University, becoming the first in his family to earn a college degree. Following his graduation from GW, Capt. Ruiz will join the U.S. Naval Academy as a company officer and adjunct professor of leadership.

Aside from commencement, graduate students in the School of Business who are set to receive degrees are invited to attend the GWSB Masters Celebration on Friday, May 15th. Mark R. Shenkman, MBA ’67, founder, president and chief investment officer, Shenkman Capital, is set to speak at that event. With 43 years of investment experience, and 35 years of high yield investment experience, Shenkman is considered one of the pioneers of the high yield bond and loan markets. He is a co-author of two textbooks on the high yield market, entitled High Yield Bonds: Market Structure, Portfolio Management and Credit Risk Modeling (McGraw Hill, 1999) and Leveraged Financial Markets (McGraw Hill, 2010).

George Washington University Commencement takes place on the National Mall and is open to all graduates to celebrate their achievements. This event requires tickets and includes remarks from leadership and speakers, and highlights honorary degree recipients.

regions: Washington, DC

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