2008 Commencement Speaker

GAMBIER, Ohio (April 7, 2008)

Photo by Maria Krovatin

Anna Quindlen, a best-selling novelist and Pulitzer-prize winning columnist, will deliver the address to the Class of 2008 at Kenyon's one hundred eightieth Commencement on Saturday, May 17, 2008. The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m.

Quindlen's distinguished writing career embraces both journalism and fiction. Every other week, millions of readers turn to the back page of Newsweek to read her column, "The Last Word," offering perspectives on events of the day as well as issues of family, work, education, and social justice. Previously she worked at the New York Times, starting as a reporter in 1977 and writing as a columnist, from 1981 to 1994. Her nationally-syndicated column, "Public and Private," won the Pulitzer Prize for commentary in 1992.

Quindlen has also written five best-selling novels: Object Lessons, Black and Blue, Blessings, Rise and Shine and One True Thing, which was made into a motion picture starring Meryl Streep and Renée Zellweger. In addition to her novels and collections of her columns, she has published popular self-help books, A Short Guide to a Happy Life and Being Perfect. Her other works include a celebration of the joys of reading, How Reading Changed My Life, and children's books, The Tree That Came to Stay and Happily Ever After. Her most recent book, Good Dog. Stay., recounts the life and death of her beloved Labrador retriever, Beau.

Quindlen is a graduate of Barnard College, where she chairs the board of trustees. She is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and holds honorary degrees from more than a dozen universities. She is also a Kenyon parent and serves as a member of the Parents Advisory Council.