Governor Taft to Highlight All-University Commencement From: University Currents Date: April 21, 2000 By: Chris Curran Phone: (513) 556-1806 Archive: Campus News, General News Ohio Governor Bob Taft returns to his alma mater Friday, June 9 to deliver the All-University Commencement address to the Class of 2000. Taft earned his juris doctorate from the UC College of Law in 1976 after earning a master's degree in government from Princeton University (1967 and a baccalaureate from Yale University (1963). The Taft family ties to UC extend back two centuries to 1880 when Governor Taft's great-grandfather William Howard Taft graduated from what was then the Cincinnati College Law School. As dean (1896-1900), William Howard Taft oversaw the merger of that law school with the new University of Cincinnati. He went on to serve as the 27th President of the United States and Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court. Ohio's current governor not only followed his great-grandfather's footsteps to UC, he also followed the family tradition of public service. Governor Taft's father and grandfather both served in the U.S. Senate. Before being elected as Ohio Governor, Bob Taft served as Ohio's Secretary of State for eight years, from 1981 to 1990, as a Hamilton County Commissioner, and as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives from 1976 to 1990. The All-University Commencement kicks off a graduation weekend at UC. Details of other events and ordering information for caps and gowns can be found at www.uc.edu/commencement/