Alexis Herman, the first African American
to head the U.S. Department of Labor, will be honored at Chicago State
University's 334th Commencement Exercise on Friday, June 2 at 7 p.m. at
the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC) Pavilion, 525 South Racine Avenue.
Herman, who was appointed U.S. Secretary of Labor in 1996, will be the
keynote speaker at the commencement ceremony.
A total of 600 students will receive degrees
at the ceremony. Of that number, 450 students will receive bachelor's degrees
and 150 will receive master's degrees at the ceremony.
"We are honored that Secretary Herman has
accepted our invitation to be CSU's commencement speaker. She is such an
outstanding role model for youth, having worked hard, and against strong
odds, to reach her esteemed position as U.S. Labor Secretary," said CSU
President Dr. Elnora D. Daniel. "It is worthwhile pointing out that Secretary
Herman is the first African American to head the Department of Labor having
been appointed to office by President Clinton in December 1996."
In appointing Herman as Labor Secretary,
the president described her as a leader who "understands the needs of workers
and understands the challenges they face as we approach the 21st century."
Sworn in on May 1, 1997 as the nation's
23rd Labor Secretary, Herman has led the department to focus on three goals:
a prepared work force, a secure workforce and a quality workplace.
Before joining President Clinton's Cabinet,
Herman served in the administration as assistant to the President and director
of the White House Public Liaison Office. In 1992, she served as deputy
director of the Presidential Transition Office. Herman was president of
A.M. Herman & Associates which advised state and local governments,
as well as private corporations during the 1980's. As expert on reducing
and eliminating formal and informal labor market barriers, she guided corporations
on human resources issues.
Herman first joined government during the
Carter Administration as director of Women's Bureau in the Department of
Labor and was a trusted adviser of the then Labor Secretary. Previously,
she was national director of the Minority Women Employment Program of R-T-P,
Inc. in Atlanta.
A native of Mobile, Alabama, Herman graduated
from Xavier University in New Orleans in 1969.