Date: 03/03/2009

U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren is San José State's 2009 Commencement Speaker

Contact:
Pat Lopes Harris, SJSU Media Relations, 408-924-1748

SAN JOSÉ, Calif., -- U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren will be San José State's 2009 commencement speaker. Lofgren, who represents the San José area, has been a strong supporter of SJSU for many years. Commencement will begin at 9:30 a.m. Saturday, May 23, in Spartan Stadium. Approximately 6,000 candidates who completed their studies in August 2008, December 2008 and May 2009 will be eligible to participate. Around 25,000 graduates, family and friends are expected to attend the ceremony.

"I am honored Zoe Lofgren has accepted our invitation," President Jon Whitmore said. "Zoe has been an active partner with San José State during her service in the House of Representatives. We see her often on our campus, and we are delighted that she has agreed to share her experience and insight with our students and their families."

Lofgren introduced the Gulf Coast Civic Works Act (HR 4048) in November 2007. The bill was rooted in a national campaign initiated by San José State Professor Scott Myers-Lipton and students. The group sought federal support for a civic works projects that would help residents of hurricane-ravaged communities rebuild. Lofgren also provided crucial support for San José State's Educational Talent Search Program, Mineta Transportation Institute, and blood drive suspension. In April 2008, she participated in "From Strawberries to Software: Immigration to Silicon Valley," a two-day conference sponsored by the College of Social Sciences.

Lofgren is serving her eighth term in Congress representing most of the city of San José and Santa Clara County. She chairs: the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct; the House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security, and International Law; the House Administration Subcommittee on Elections; and serves on the House Homeland Security Committee. Lofgren is chair of the California Democratic Congressional Delegation consisting of 34 Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives from California.

Lofgren grew up in Palo Alto, where she attended public schools. She received a bachelor's in political science from Stanford University in 1970 and a J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law in 1975. She served as staff assistant to her predecessor, Congressman Don Edwards. She has also practiced and taught immigration law, and she served on the Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors from 1981 to 1994.

Read more on U.S. Congresswoman Zoe Lofgren.

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San José State -- Silicon Valley's largest institution of higher learning with 32,700 students and 5,000 employees -- is part of the California State University system. SJSU's 154-acre downtown campus anchors the nation's 10th largest city.