Dr. Anthony Fauci To Give Emory Graduation Address

NORTH DRUID HILLS-BRIARCLIFF, GA — Soon-to-be Emory College of Arts and Sciences graduates will hear from a household name during commencement this year: Dr. Anthony Fauci.

Fauci, who has served as director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) since 1984, will give the commencement address virtually due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The address will be available to all Emory University graduates and the university community via livestream.

“I cannot think of a more inspiring person than Dr. Fauci to address the Class of 2021, whose Emory experience has been so dramatically shaped by the pandemic, and whose resilience and determination have inspired us again and again,” Emory President Gregory L. Fenves said. “During the past year, Dr. Fauci’s name has become synonymous with truth, clarity and medical expertise. As chief physician to our country in the midst of a pandemic, he has become one of the most trusted voices in medicine for millions of Americans, and we are excited to honor him as part of Emory’s 176th Commencement.”

Fauci will also receive the Emory University President's Medal, making him one of six people to receive both of the university's highest honors: the President's Medal and an honorary degree. Previous recipients of both honors include the Dalai Lama; former U.S. President Jimmy Carter; the late U.S. Rep. John Lewis; Ambassador Andrew Young; and epidemiologist Dr. William H. Foege, according to a news release.

“Emory’s motto, ‘the wise heart seeks knowledge,’ is exemplified by Dr. Fauci’s many decades of public service,” Fenves said. “Indeed, it is his wise heart, and the knowledge he has provided, that have helped us get through a year like no other.”

The ceremony will take place May 16 at 10 a.m. Because of the pandemic, each of Emory's nine schools and colleges will hold individual, physically-distanced ceremonies May 14-16 at the Georgia World Congress Center. All ceremonies will be viewable online.