ODU President Broderick to speak at TCC commencement

Old Dominion University President John R. Broderick will be the keynote speaker for Tidewater Community College’s 56th commencement May 8 at 7 p.m. at ODU’s Ted Constant Convocation Center.

Approximately 2,000 TCC students will earn associate degrees or certificates that evening. It will be the first spring commencement for TCC President Edna V. Baehre-Kolovani.

The student speaker for commencement will be Barbara St. Jean of Virginia Beach, who will graduate with an Associate of Science in Social Sciences and plans to transfer to Virginia Wesleyan College.

John Broderick

Broderick is the eighth president of Old Dominion, having joined the university in 2008. As president, he guides ODU’s six colleges, more than 10 economic development and research centers, and numerous partnerships with government, military and business organizations and agencies. Broderick’s leadership has resulted in several initiatives to position ODU as Virginia’s forward-focused, public doctoral research university. Broderick is one of six college presidents on the Governor’s Commission on Higher Education Reform, Innovation and Investment, and in 2012 was appointed to the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Council of State Representatives.

Shortly after becoming president, Broderick introduced a university-wide initiative to set a new standard for student success and student learning, which included a $10.2-million Student Success Center and Learning Commons and the creation of a vice president position and division for student engagement and enrollment services. He continues to lead efforts to keep the university affordable and accessible while maintaining academic standards. Broderick was awarded the 2012 American College Personnel Association’s Contribution to Higher Education Award, one of that national organization’s highest honors, for his leadership in student success initiatives.

Broderick oversaw the return of football at ODU in 2009 and is chair of the President’s Football Championship Series advisory committee.

In addition to his administrative duties, Broderick annually teaches graduate courses in the Darden College of Education. He also has lectured on leadership for a variety of institutions and organizations, including the University of Bologna and the Virginia Chamber of Commerce Executive Association.