List of Virginia Tech commencement speakers

• 2015
  • Spring: Eric Schmidt, Executive chairman, Google.
• 2014
  • Spring: Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe
• 2013
  • Spring: Charles Steger, VIrginia Tech President
  • Fall: Gerhardt Schurig, professor of biomedical sciences and pathobiology and former dean, Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine
• 2012 Michelle Obama and Senator Mark Warner
• 2011 Kenneth Feinberg, administrator of the 9/11 Victims Fund
• 2010 Bob McDonnell, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• 2009, Gen. Lance Smith, former NATO supreme allied commander for transformation from 2005 to 2007.
• 2008, Hoda Kotb, "Dateline NBC" correspondent, co-anchor of NBC's "Today" show, and 1986 Virginia Tech graduate
• 2007

• Spring, General John Abizaid, U.S. Army (Ret.), former Commander of the United States Central Command (spring): Read | Listen.
• Fall, E. Scott Geller, Alumni Distinguished Professor and Director of the Center for Applied Behavior Systems in the Department of Psychology in the College of Science (fall):

• 2006

• Spring, Timothy M. Kaine, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• Fall, Henry J. Dekker, retired founder and president of North American operations for French couturier Louis Feraud, and past member of the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors (fall).

• 2005

• Spring, David Calhoun, president and CEO of GE Transportation Systems (spring)
• Fall, Minnis E. Ridenour, former executive vice president and chief operating officer at Virginia Tech and Senior Fellow and director of the Office of Government and Non-Profit Organization Management, Virginia Tech

• 2004

• Spring, Pierre Thomas, ABC News U.S. Justice Department correspondent and 1984 graduate of Virginia Tech (spring)
• Fall, Dr. Diane Zahm, associate professor of urban affairs and planning in the College of Architecture and Urban Studies, Virginia Tech

• 2003

• Spring, Leroy Rountree Hassell Sr., chief justice, Virginia Supreme Court (spring)
• Fall, Dr. Ezra A. "Bud" Brown, professor of mathematics, Virginia Tech

• 2002

• Spring, Mark Warner, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia (spring)
• Fall, Dr. L.A. "Andy" Swiger, dean, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Virginia Tech

• 2001

• Spring, Rick Boucher, congressman, U.S. House of Representatives (spring)
• Fall, Dr. Charles J. Dudley, professor of sociology and director of the University Honors Program, Virginia Tech

• 2000

• Spring, John Warner, senator, Commonwealth of Virginia
• Fall, Arthur L. Buikema Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor, Department of Biology, Virginia Tech

• 1999

• Spring, Eric Schmidt, chairman and chief executive officer, Novell Inc.
• Fall, Paul Torgersen, president, Virginia Tech, and John W. Hancock Jr., Chair of Engineering

• 1998

• Spring, James S. Gilmore III, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia

• Fall, James R. Craig, professor of geological sciences, Virginia Tech

• 1997

• Spring, Raymond J. Lane, president and chief operating officer, Oracle Corporation

• Fall, Charles "Jack" Dudley, director, University Honors Program, Virginia Tech

• 1996

• Spring, John Wilson, retired president, Washington and Lee University

• Fall, Lucinda Roy, Gloria D. Smith Professor of Black Studies, Virginia Tech

• 1995

• Spring, Beverly H. Sgro, secretary of education, Commonwealth of Virginia

• Fall, James I. Robertson, Jr., Alumni Distinguished Professor of History, Virginia Tech (fall).

• 1994

• Spring, George F. Allen, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia

• Fall, Paul Antonie "Tony" Distler, Alumni Distinguished Professor and director of the Division of Performing Arts, Virginia Tech (fall).

• 1993

• Spring, John M. Ashworth, director, London School of Economics and Political Science

• Fall, John Kelly, registrar (provost), University College Dublin (Ireland)

• 1992

• Spring, Jack Nelson, Washington Bureau chief, Los Angeles Times

• Fall, Samuel D. Proctor, professor emeritus, Rutgers University and pastor emeritus, Abyssinian Baptist Church of New York (fall).

• 1991

• Spring, Shaikh Saud Nasir Al-Sabah, ambassador to Kuwait
• Fall, W. Ann Reynolds, chancellor, City University of New York

• 1990

• Spring, L. Douglas Wilder, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia
• Fall, Mark O. Hatfield, U.S. senator

• 1989, Mary Sue Terry, attorney general, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1988, David Roselle, president, University of Kentucky.
• 1987, Gerald Baliles, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1986, Neil Armstrong, astronaut
• 1985, Alexander F. Giacco, rector, Virginia Tech Board of Visitors and chairman of the board, Hercules Inc.
• 1984, Charles Robb, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1983, Clifton C. Garvin, Jr., chairman of the board, Exxon Corp. (and Virginia Tech alumnus).
• 1982, Christopher C. Kraft, Jr., director, Lyndon B. Johnson Space and Virginia Tech alumnus.
• 1981, William Edward Lavery, president, Virginia Tech.
• 1980, Jean Harris, secretary of human resources, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1979, Eric Severied, CBS News Correspondent.
• 1978, John N. Dalton, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1977, Milton Friedman, recipient of the 1976 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.
• 1976, E. F. Shannon, former president, University of Virginia.
• 1975, Sam J. Ervin, former N.C. senator.
• 1974, G. Burke Johnston, C. P. Miles Professor of English, Virginia Tech.
• 1973, Bill Moyers, former press secretary to President L. B. Johnson.
• 1972, David Brinkley, NBC news correspondent.
• 1971, Linwood Holton, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1970, T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech.
• 1969, Warren W. Brandt, first president of Virginia Commonwealth University and former executive vice president, Virginia Tech.
• 1968, T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech.
• 1967, Mills E. Godwin, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1966, T. Marshall Hahn, president, Virginia Tech.
• 1965, Albertis S. Harrison, governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1964, J. G. Farrar, president, Rockefeller Foundation.
• 1963, Mills E. Goodwin, lieutenant governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1962, Colgate W. Darden, former governor, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1961, John M. Devine, commandant of cadets, Virginia Tech.
• 1960, Albertis S. Harrison, attorney general, Commonwealth of Virginia.
• 1959, John N. Thomas, professor of systematic theology, Union Theological Seminary

References

• "University Commencement Speakers (1959 to 2008)". Virginia Tech News Service.