Ukraine ambassador to be speaker at BC commencement
Boston College’s commencement speaker for this year’s graduating class will be Ukraine Ambassador Oksana Markarova, the college announced Tuesday.
The commencement ceremony will take place on May 22 at 10 a.m. in Alumni Stadium.
Before she was appointed as Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States in 2021, Markarova worked for Ukraine’s Ministry of Finance, coauthored Ukraine’s macroeconomic revival program, and coordinated multiple programs with international financial institutions such as the International Monetary Fund, according to the Embassy of Ukraine.
Markarova has also made a number of media and public appearances in the United States, including last year at President Biden’s State of the Union Address, to talk about Ukraine’s humanitarian crisis caused by Russia’s full-scale invasion of the country. More than 8,000 Ukrainian civilians have been killed as of March 12, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
According to a Boston College press release Markarova “has highlighted the courage and resilience of the Ukrainian people — not just soldiers but everyday citizens — and responded to skepticism among some lawmakers about US support for Ukraine.”
Boston College President William P. Leahy will present Markarova with an honorary degree at the ceremony, which she will “accept on behalf of the people of Ukraine,” the press release stated.
Notable alumni will also receive honorary degrees at the ceremony, including Jeanne McGowan, founding president of La Salle Academy; Herb Scannell, former president and CEO of Nickelodeon; Katrina Shaw, former CEO of Freedom House; and former BC hockey coach Jerry York.