February 19, 2004 -- John Warner, a 27-year veteran of the U.S. Senate, will deliver the University of Virginia Commencement Address Sunday, May 16, on the Lawn at U.Va.

A 1953 graduate of the U.Va. School of Law, Warner will speak at 10 a.m. during Final Exercises before more than 30,000 anticipated students and guests.

Warner, a Virginia Republican, was elected to his fifth Congressional term in November 2002. He is currently the third-longest-serving U.S. Senator in the history of the Commonwealth after Harry F. Byrd and Carter Glass.

Before entering the Senate, Warner conducted special assignments in government- to-government negotiations on military, scientific, economic, educational and cultural matters, which led to extensive national-security and foreign-affairs experience. He was a Department of Defense representative to the Law of the Sea talks in Geneva from 1969 to 1973, Undersecretary of the Navy from 1969 to 1972 and Secretary of the Navy from 1972 to 1974.

Warner also served as national administrator of the American Revolution Bicentennial Administration from 1974 to 1976.

In 1956, he was appointed an assistant U.S. Attorney, and from 1960 to 1969, he was in private law practice, specializing in bank, securities and corporate cases.

In 1944, Warner voluntarily enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He was released from active duty in July 1946, and enrolled at Washington and Lee University, earning a bachelor’s degree in basic engineering in 1949. He completed his law degree at U.Va. in 1953 after completing a second tour of active military duty in the U.S. Marine Corps.

U.Va. graduation weekend activities also include Valediction. Atiim Kiambu (Tiki) Barber, a professional football player and a 1997 graduate of the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce, will give the Valedictory Address May 15 on the Lawn at U. Va. He will speak at 11 a.m.