3/21/02--Boston College Law School is pleased to announce that Ambassador to Canada and former Massachusetts Governor Paul Cellucci will be the school’s commencement speaker in 2002. The BC Law commencement ceremonies will take place on Friday, May 24th, on the school’s Newton Campus.

Cellucci was recently nominated by President Bush to serve as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States to Canada. He has worked closely with Canada regarding issues such as trade, energy and preserving the environment.

"We're delighted that Ambassador Cellucci has accepted our invitation to speak at Commencement," said BC Law Dean John H. Garvey. "The Law School takes great pride in the dedication and quality of its alumni. He has had an outstanding legal career. He served the Commonwealth of Massachusetts with great distinction during his years as governor. And he has served the people of the United States well as our ambassador to Canada."

Cellucci served as Governor of Massachusetts from 1997 through the year 2001. A strong advocate for smaller government and lower taxes, then-governor Cellucci signed one of the largest tax-cuts in Massachusetts history in 1998. During his years of service to the Commonwealth, he has worked closely with education reform, has increased access to health care, and has fought against domestic violence.

Ambassador Cellucci was born in Hudson, Middlesex in 1948. By the year 1977, he had become a Member of Massachusetts State House of Representatives, and served in that capacity until 1985, when he became a member of the Massachusetts State Senate. In 1991, Cellucci received the position of the Lieutenant Governor of Massachusetts, and six years later was elected Governor.

Cellucci has over17 years of experience in private practice, eventually serving as partner in the Hudson Law firm of Kittredge, Cellucci and Moreira, P.C. He received both his undergraduate and law degrees from Boston College in the early 1970s. While at the university, Cellucci served in the Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC). He also served in the U.S. Army Reserves for eight years and was dismissed with the high rank of Captain.

Both natives of Massachusetts, Ambassador Cellucci and his wife Jan have two children. Jan has served as a librarian at Boston College. Their daughter Kate graduated from Boston College in 1999 and is now attending Boston College's Lynch Graduate School of Education. Their second daughter Anne graduated from Harvard University in 2000 and is now attending Boston College Law School.