U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal Delivers Commencement Address at Becker College

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Photo: U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Springfield )

WORCESTER, MA (04/30/2010)(readMedia)-- U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal (D-Springfield ) is scheduled to give the keynote address at Becker College's 222nd commencement ceremony, to be held on Saturday, May 8, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Hanover Theatre in downtown Worcester.

First elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988, Rep. Neal represents the Second District of Massachusetts which includes the Leicester campus of Becker College, and 38 cities and towns in western and central Massachusetts.

Becker College will honor Rep. Neal with an honorary doctorate degree of humane letters for service to the state of Massachusetts and support of Becker College's mission to offer a diverse student population access to a first-class, student-centered, private college education and to prepare students to be tomorrow's leaders and responsible citizens in a global economy.

Rep. Neal is a member of the Ways and Means Committee and the chairman of the Subcommittee on Select Revenue Measures. Rep. Neal is the lead sponsor of legislation to prevent American companies from moving offshore to avoid paying U.S. taxes. He leads the effort to repeal the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT). He has sponsored legislation that would increase the national savings rate by encouraging the use of individual retirement accounts, and has worked to make health care and tuition expenses tax deductible for middle class people.

Rep. Neal has been honored by the governments of Ireland, Israel and Italy. He has been recognized by many civic, charitable, educational and labor organizations. Mr. Neal began his public service career in 1973 and served as mayor of the City of Springfield from 1984 until 1989. He earned a bachelor's degree in political science from the American International College in Springfield and a master's degree in public administration from the Barney School of Business and Public Administration at the University of Hartford.

As a representative of Leicester, Rep. Neal has supported Becker College's efforts to bring national attention to historical resident Reverend Samuel May's significant activity in the early abolitionist movement, and the Congressman has been a strong proponent for the designation of the Reverend Samuel May House as an official visitor center on the National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom.

The Becker College Class of 2010 numbers 350. Graduates will receive bachelor degrees in the disciplines of business management, computer game design, computer game development and programming, computer information systems, criminal justice, early childhood education, elementary education, equine management, equine studies, exercise science, financial accounting, forensics/crime scene processing, graphic design, human resource management, interior design, laboratory animal management, legal studies, liberal arts, marketing, nursing, pre-veterinary, psychology, sports management, veterinary science and associate degrees in the disciplines of animal care, business management, early childhood education, nursing, veterinary technology

About Becker College

Becker College is ranked by Princeton Review as the #1 game design school in New England and #4 in the country. Becker serves more than 1,700 students from 18 states and 12 countries and offers over 25 diverse, first-quality bachelor degree programs in unique, high-demand career niches ranging from Nursing and Equine Management and a variety of adult learning options. With campuses in Worcester and Leicester, Mass., Becker traces its history to 1784 and has over 20,000 alumni.