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Mark Zuckerberg will be the featured speaker at Harvard's 366th Commencement on May 25, the University announced yesterday. This is an honour that brings distinguished political leaders, business chiefs and artists to address graduating students.
Zuckerberg, now among the world's most powerful and influential billionaires, had founded Facebook in 2004 in his Harvard dormitory and had then dropped out of the prestigious institution to focus full-time on building the social media company, which transformed the way people interacted with each other.
Harvard President Drew Faust lauded the former student's leadership and his company's impact on how nearly 1.9 billion people interact, saying she looks forward to welcoming Zuckerberg back to the varsity on Commencement day.
"Mark Zuckerberg's leadership has profoundly altered the nature of social engagement worldwide. Few inventions in modern times can rival Facebook in its far-reaching impact on how people around the globe interact with one another," Faust said.
She added that few individuals can rival Zuckerberg in his drive to change the world through the innovative use of technology, as well as his commitment to advance science, enhance education, and expand opportunity through the pursuit of philanthropy.
Zuckerberg is not the first Harvard dropout to give the commencement address at his former university. Bill Gates, who co-founded Microsoft and is a Harvard dropout, spoke at the university's Commencement in 2007.
Watch Zuckerberg take advice from Bill Gates on the upcoming speech he has to give at Harvard.
(With agency inputs)
