VA Gov. Youngkin Will Give 2022 Commencement Address to Regent University Graduates in May

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Virginia's new Governor Glenn Youngkin (R) will be the keynote speaker for Regent University's 42nd commencement ceremony on May 7, the university announced Monday. 

Youngkin was inaugurated as the 74th governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia on Jan. 15, 2022. 

"We are delighted to welcome Gov. Glenn Youngkin to Regent University as we celebrate the Class of 2022," said Dr. M.G. "Pat" Robertson, founder, chancellor, and CEO of Regent University. "It is a distinct honor that our graduates will receive a keynote address from a highly distinguished and accomplished leader who has championed strong values throughout his career."

After conducting virtual graduation ceremonies for the past two years, Regent, the second-largest private college in Virginia, is excited to return to its traditional outdoor celebration on campus in Virginia Beach. The university expects the Class of 2022 will exceed 2,300 graduates and the commencement ceremony will have an anticipated audience of 20,000 people. 

Graduates and their guests will be invited to attend the ceremony in person. The ceremony will also be live-streamed online for those who wish to participate virtually.

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Youngkin grew up in Richmond and Virginia Beach. From his first job washing dishes at a diner in Virginia Beach, he embraced hard work and responsibility to help his family when his father lost his job. His determination to succeed earned him multiple high school basketball honors and an athletic scholarship to college.

After earning an engineering degree at Rice University and his MBA at Harvard Business School, Youngkin and his wife Suzanne moved to Northern Virginia. He landed a job at The Carlyle Group, where he spent the next 25 years. Working his way to the top of the company, Youngkin played a key role in building Carlyle into one of the leading investment firms in the world. His efforts have helped fund the retirements of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other frontline public servants and supported hundreds of thousands of American jobs.

Married more than 27 years, Youngkin's have four children. Their family journey has been and continues to be guided by their faith in Christ.

"At Regent, it has been a long-standing tradition to invite keynote speakers who are successful in their fields, providing examples to graduates of how they can be leaders in their chosen professions," said Dr. William L. Hathaway, executive vice president for Academic Affairs at Regent University. "Gov. Youngkin is a tremendous example of a Christian leader who is changing the world."

Founded in 1978, Regent is America's premier Christian university with more than 11,000 students studying on its 70-acre campus in Virginia Beach, Va., and online around the world. The university offers associate, bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in more than 150 areas of study including business, communication, the arts, counseling, cybersecurity, divinity, education, government, law, leadership, nursing, healthcare, and psychology. 

The university is ranked the #1 Best Accredited Online College in the United States (Study.com, 2020), the #1 Safest College Campus in Virginia (YourLocalSecurity, 2021), and the #1 Best Online Bachelor's Program in Virginia for ten years in a row (U.S. News & World Report, 2022).

For more information about the commencement ceremony, click here.