The University of Colorado Law School is pleased to announce that Colorado Governor Jared Polis will be the speaker for the Class of 2022 graduation recognition ceremony, which will be held in-person on May 6.聽
"We are delighted to welcome Governor Polis as the 2022 Colorado Law graduation ceremony speaker,鈥� said Dean Lolita Buckner Inniss. 鈥淟aw school isn鈥檛 easy; it鈥檚 even more challenging during a global pandemic. This year鈥檚 graduating class persevered under extraordinarily challenging circumstances, and we are thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments with friends, family, and such an esteemed guest speaker.鈥澛�
The law school looks forward to a return to the traditional in-person format for the 2022 event鈥攆ollowing local public health requirements and guidelines鈥攁fter having gone virtual in the two previous years.聽
Governor Jared Polis is an entrepreneur, education leader, and public servant. He started his first business, American Information Systems, while in college out of his dorm room. By the time he was 30, he鈥檇 launched three successful companies, including ProFlowers, one of the world鈥檚 leading online flower retailers. His pioneering role in the internet economy earned him an 鈥淓ntrepreneur of the Year鈥� distinction from Ernst and Young.聽
Following these business successes, Governor Polis committed himself to making sure other Coloradans had the opportunity to pursue their dreams. He co-founded Techstars, a startup accelerator that mentors entrepreneurs from all walks of life, and Patriot Boot Camp, which helps veterans start their own small businesses after coming home from their service.聽
In addition to his career as an entrepreneur, much of Governor Polis鈥� adult life has been focused on improving public education. He served six years on the State Board of Education, where he worked to raise pay for teachers and reduce class size for students. He also founded several public charter schools for at-risk youth, and served as superintendent of one of them, the New America School, which helps immigrants earn their high school diploma.聽
Most recently, Governor Polis served as the U.S. representative for Colorado鈥檚 Second Congressional District, which stretches from Larimer County and the Wyoming border, to the Central Mountains at the heart of Colorado鈥檚 tourism economy, to Boulder and the U.S. 36 high-tech corridor. During his time in Congress, the Center for Effective Lawmaking ranked Governor Polis the most effective member of Colorado鈥檚 House delegation due to his success working across the aisle to improve Colorado鈥檚 schools, protect public lands, and support startups and small businesses.聽
Governor Polis is a Colorado native, born in 1975. He, his partner Marlon, and their two children are all avid Rockies fans.聽
The in-person graduation ceremony is reserved only for graduates and their loved ones. Additional information about virtual attendance will be available at a later date.