Michael Perry to Give Commencement Address

Collegeville, Minn. ' Michael Perry, University Distinguished Chair in Law at Wake Forest University, will deliver the commencement address at Saint John's University at 2 p.m. on Sunday, May 23, in the Saint John's Abbey Church.

Perry graduated from Georgetown University in 1968 and Columbia University School of Law in 1973. Perry, the author of eight books and numerous articles and essays on legal topics, has previously taught at Northwestern University and The Ohio State University. At Northwestern, Perry was the Howard J. Trienens Chair in Law from 1990 to 1997. Perry has taught at Wake Forest since 1997. Perry has also held visiting faculty positions at the University of Tokyo, New York Law School, Tulane, Northwestern and Yale.

The commencement address will be part of ceremonies that will feature the awarding of two honorary degrees. Michael Perry will receive a Doctor of Letters degree, while Philip Brunelle, founder and artistic director of the Plymouth Music Series of Minnesota, will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Michael Dirksen, a biology major from Shoreview, will be the student commencement speaker, as selected by this year's SJU senior class. The 1999 SJU graduating class includes 368 men and 30 School of Theology/Seminary graduates.

Brunelle is an internationally renowned conductor, choral scholar and performer. Since 1969, Brunelle has led the Plymouth Music Series in performances and recordings of significant works composed for chorus and orchestra. In June 1997, he conducted the Plymouth Music Series' Ensemble Singers in the first appearance of an American professional choral ensemble at the Prague Spring Festival and also at London's Covent Garden Festival.

For the celebration of Amy Grant receiving the Saint John's University and Abbey Pax Christi Award in 1994, Brunelle conceived and conducted a concert featuring Amy Grant in the Abbey Church. Currently he serves on the Board of Directors of Chorus America, a national service organization for the choral field, and on the Board of Regents of St. Olaf College.

Saint John's University for men and the College of Saint Benedict for women are partners in liberal arts education, providing students the opportunity to benefit from the distinctions of not one, but two nationally recognized Catholic, undergraduate colleges. Together the colleges challenge students to live balanced lives of learning, work, leadership and service in a changing world.