Federal Judge Gregory to address VCU Class of 2003

By Pamela DiSalvo Lepley

RICHMOND, Va. – Judge Roger L. Gregory, the first African-American to be appointed to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, will address graduates of Virginia Commonwealth University at commencement exercises Saturday, May 17, at 10 a.m. at the Richmond Coliseum, 601 E. Leigh Street.

Judge Gregory also will receive an honorary doctor of humane letters during the ceremony.

“Judge Gregory serves as an outstanding role model for all graduates, not only in terms of his professional accomplishments, but also his tireless community service,” said VCU President Dr. Eugene P. Trani.  “VCU is honored to have him as commencement speaker.”

Judge Gregory has strong ties to VCU as a former member and rector of the VCU Board of Visitors.  His extensive civic involvement includes service on the boards of such organizations the Friends Association for Children, the NAACP, the Richmond Arts Council, Richmond Renaissance, Virginia State University Board of Visitors and the Black Museum and Cultural Center of Virginia, to name a few.  

Judge Gregory is a graduate of Virginia State University and the University of Michigan Law School.  He worked at law firms in Michigan and Virginia before establishing the law firm Wilder and Gregory in Richmond with Douglas Wilder, who later became Governor.  Until his appointment to the U.S. Circuit Court in 2001, Judge Gregory was managing partner and head of the firm’s litigation section.

VCU will award 2,566 professional, graduate and undergraduate degrees during the Spring 2003 commencement activities.  At VCU’s fall commencement in December 2002, 1,559 degrees were conferred.

Also at the upcoming commencement exercises, Gilbert M. and Fannie S. Rosenthal of Richmond will be presented the Edward A. Wayne Medal in recognition of their extraordinary service to VCU.  The Rosenthals established the Brooks Lower Lectureship and the Lower Legacy Professorship in the VCU Division of Cardiac Surgery.  They also established student scholarships in the VCU School of Pharmacy and other departments at VCU.  Mr. Rosenthal served on the School of Pharmacy advisory board.

VCU’s highest honor, the Presidential Medallion, will be presented to two individuals for their significant contributions to the university:

• Dr. Hermes A. Kontos, will retire as VCU vice president for health sciences and chief executive officer of the VCU Health System in early July after a long and precedent-setting career in medicine, teaching, research and higher education administration at the VCU and the VCU Medical Center.  Dr. Kontos will be specifically recognized for spearheading the transition to what has become the VCU Health System.  

• Dr. Leo J. Dunn, professor and chair emeritus of the VCU Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, is a research subject advocate for the General Clinical Research Center at VCU.  Dr. Dunn will be recognized for significant contributions to medicine, teaching, research and service at VCU.  Among those contributions is the Leo J. Dunn, M.D., Endowed Research Chair that he established at VCU.