Hampden-Sydney College Commencement Speakers

Related Media

Admiral Eric T. Olson

HAMPDEN-SYDNEY, VA (03/27/2013)(readMedia)-- On Sunday, May 12, Hampden-Sydney College will hold commencement exercises marking the end of the College's 238th academic year. One hundred and eighty-nine seniors will graduate at 10:00 AM on the lawn of Venable Hall.

Commencement Speaker

Admiral Eric T. Olson, Retired,
Former Head of the U.S. Special Operations Command

Admiral Olson retired from the United States Navy in 2011 after more than 38 years of military service. He was the first Navy SEAL to be promoted to three- and four-star ranks. His career culminated as the head of the United States Special Operations Command, where he was responsible for the mission readiness of all Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations forces. In this capacity, he led over 60,000 people and managed an annual budget in excess of ten billion dollars.

As President of ETO Group, LLC, Olson is now an independent national security consultant who supports a wide range of private and public sector organizations. Among his current endeavors, he is an Adjunct Professor in the School of International and Public Affairs at Columbia University, a Director of the non-profit Special Operations Warrior Foundation and the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum, and a senior advisor to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and NATO Special Operations Forces Headquarters.

The Baccalaureate Service will be on Saturday, May 11, at 5:00 PM on the lawn of Venable Hall.

Baccalaureate Speaker

Father Robert Koopmann, O.S.B.

Father Koopmann, Professor of Music and President Emeritus, has been on the faculty of Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict in Minnesota since 1975, where he has taught piano, music literature, and courses on creativity and the creative process. He has performed as a piano soloist and accompanist, as well as in chamber ensembles and with orchestras throughout the USA and abroad, including 20 states, Europe, South Africa, Chile, Kenya, and Tanzania. He has released a number of recordings since 1994.

Father Koopmann was president of Saint John's University from 2009 until July 2012. He is on sabbatical for this current academic year, studying music, theology, and spirituality in Berkeley, California, and New York City.