The Class of 2003 graduating committee announced yesterday the selection of Dr. L. D. Britt as the keynote speaker for the graduation ceremonies in May 2003.
Britt, a 1972 graduate of the College, received his masters in public health and a medical degree from Harvard University. He now serves as a professor and chairman of surgery at the Eastern Virginia Medical School.
The fourth-year class trustees graduating committee selected Britt for his work as an educator and for his potential impact as a speaker on the graduating class, Committee Chairwoman Lauren Purnell said.
"He is tuned into students as a teacher," Purnell said. "His experience with students will provide relevant thoughts for graduation."
Britt is an eight-time winner of the Sir William Olser Award for Outstanding Teaching as an Attending Physician and is the only African-American to be appointed as a professor of surgery in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Fourth-year College student Edmund Newsome, Britt's nephew, spoke highly of the committee's selection.
"It was the graduating committee's intent to find a speaker that best represents the Class of 2003's passion for life and academic pursuits," Newsome said. "Dr. Britt is a man of passion who is dedicated to serving others."
Newsome originally proposed Britt to the committee as a key note speaker.
"We try to find speakers who have family ties to the University" University President John T. Casteen III said.
Casteen added that he was pleased with the committee's decision, praising Britt as "a major leader in Virginia both in public affairs and in medical education."
In securing Britt, the graduating committee got its top choice for a speaker, Newsome said.
Purnell said the selection pool for this year's speaker was meant to reflect the graduating class.
"In the last couple of years speakers have not represented the full diversity of the University community," Purnell said. "So there was conscious effort create a diverse selection of potential speakers."
Britt could not be reached for comment.
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