Musician and social activist Bob Geldof will receive Vanderbilt University’s third Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal and the cash prize of more than $100,000 on May 8, when he will address graduating seniors and their families.
Geldof, who raised more than $120 million for famine relief in Africa with the Band Aid, Live Aid and Sport Aid events in the 1980s, is a winner of the Irish Peace Prize and has been nominated three times for the Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder and lead singer of the rock band The Boomtown Rats and starred in the acclaimed film version of The Wall. He has since gone on to a solo recording career and continued his activism by lobbying wealthy countries to cancel debt owed by African nations. The Live 8 concerts in 2005 were held to further this aim and raise consciousness about Third World poverty.
As part of their effort “Drop the Debt,” Geldof and fellow popular musician Bono (of the group U2) have met with Pope John Paul II. Geldof has received an honorary knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II, and in 2006 was named by the British journal New Statesman to its list of “Heroes of our time.”
Last month, Geldof accompanied President Bush on a tour of Africa as a special correspondent for Time magazine.
“Vanderbilt’s own concern for the alleviation of global poverty makes Bob Geldof’s visit particularly appropriate and auspicious for our graduates as they embark upon their own responsibilities in our world society,” said Vanderbilt Chancellor Nicholas S. Zeppos. “We are honored to host him as a leader of the movement and as an inspiration for our whole campus community.”
The Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal was created and endowed by Vanderbilt Law School graduate Ed Nichols and his wife, Janice, in honor of Edward Carmack and Lucile Hamby Nichols. It is presented by Vanderbilt each Senior Day, a day of activities for graduating seniors and their families held the day before the annual Commencement ceremony. The first Nichols-Chancellor’s Medal was given to Laura Bush on behalf of disaster relief workers, and last year the award went to Muhammad Yunus, a Vanderbilt alumnus and founder of the Grameen Bank that has improved the lives of millions in his native Bangladesh through small loans.
Geldof will receive the award and speak at the 10 a.m. ceremony on Thursday, May 8, on Alumni Lawn on the Vanderbilt campus. It is a ticketed event for Vanderbilt graduating seniors and their families, faculty and staff.
Geldof’s visit is a highlight of three days of activities celebrating Vanderbilt’s graduation. Commencement will be at 9 a.m. Friday, May 9, on Alumni Lawn. Chancellor Zeppos will preside over his first graduation ceremony and will give the traditional Commencement address to those receiving degrees from Vanderbilt’s four undergraduate schools as well as the university’s graduate and professional schools. More than 3,000 degrees are expected to be awarded.
An on-campus performance by the Commodores for graduates and their families will kick off Commencement activities at 9 p.m. Wednesday, May 7. The Commodores – William “Wak” King, Walter “Clyde” Orange and James Dean “JD” Nicholas – will play hits such as “Brick House” and “Easy Like Sunday Morning.”
Free tickets for the Vanderbilt community will be available for the Geldof event starting March 12. Students may enter by using their Vanderbilt identification and request additional tickets for guests at the Vanderbilt Commencement website, www.vanderbilt.edu/commencement. Faculty and staff may request two tickets each of the limited supply. Graduate and professional school students may enter with their school identification and request up to two additional tickets.
Media Contact: Jim Patterson, (615) 322-NEWS
jim.patterson@vanderbilt.edu