Pitt announces commencement speakers

Pitt graduates receiving their University diplomas this month will hear from two Pitt alumni who have led prominent careers in public service since their own commencement ceremonies.

Pitt will host Pittsburgh Mayor and ex officio member of Pitt’s Board of Trustees, William Peduto, at the undergraduate commencement ceremony and appellate attorney and partner at Kellogg, Hansen, Todd, Figel & Frederick law firm, David C. Frederick, at the master’s, professional doctoral and doctoral degrees graduation.

Peduto graduated from Pitt’s Graduate School of Public and International Affairs in 2011 after receiving his bachelor’s degree in political science from Penn State. He worked on Pittsburgh’s City Council for 19 years, where he wrote comprehensive government reform legislation and created Pittsburgh’s first campaign finance limit.

Since he was first elected Mayor in 2013, Peduto has prioritized increasing transparency, developing a long-term investment plan for the City’s assets and promoting the City’s role in housing, small businesses and education. He’s also visited the University before to attend student-organized political, sustainability and sexual assault awareness events.

Graduate students’ featured speaker, Frederick, attended Pitt in the ‘80s and is still involved in with the University Honors College, providing funding for research opportunities and financial aid through the David C. Frederick Public Service Internship Award and David C. Frederick Scholarship. Frederick works as an appellate attorney in Washington, D.C., and has represented a variety of clients before the U.S. Supreme Court, including investors, immigrants, farmers and trade associations. He has won or settled cases in the Supreme Court for 13 years.

Frederick received his bachelor’s degree in political science as a Truman scholar and graduated summa cum laude from Pitt in 1983. He then went on to receive his Ph.D. as a Rhodes Scholar at the University of Oxford and his J.D. at the University of Texas School of Law. He previously served as counselor to the inspector general and then assistant to the solicitor general in the Department of Justice before starting work at his current law firm.

Frederick will speak on Thursday, April 26, at 6:30 p.m., and Peduto will speak on Sunday, April 29 at 1 p.m. — both in the Petersen Events Center.