David Souter to Speak at Harvard Commencement

He's one of the most famous Rhodes scholars and Harvard University graduates alive, and that's saying something—there's a lot of famous Harvard grads running around. His retirement from the Supreme Court last year prompted all kinds of new stories about his judicial prowess and intelligence. And now, some fresh news about David Souter has come to light. 

Souter, who served on the Supreme Court for 19 years, will deliver the keynote address at the university's 359th commencement, the Crimson reports. Souter graduated from Harvard in 1961 and received a law degree from the Ivy League powerhouse in 1966. His selection at commencement speaker signifies Harvard President Drew Faust's commitment to public service, the report says. 

"The dedication, humility, and commitment to learning with which [Souter] has pursued his calling should be an inspiration to any young man or woman contemplating a career in public service," Faust said in the release announcing Souter's selection. 

The Harvard Law School faculty is excited about Souter's upcoming address. Two professors told the Crimson that Souter is the ideal public servant. 

"He is a model of what a devoted public servant is in an era that has very few examples of that," Noah Feldman, a law professor, says. "He threw himself into his job and worked 70 hours a week—not because he was a workaholic but because that's what his conscience told him he needed to do in order to do his job well." 

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