January 30, 2007: Volume 69, Number 5

Noted newsman Charles Gibson to speak at Commencement

For millions, he's a familiar, even lovable, face. For some 500 students and their families in the Class of 2007, he'll be the one to formally offer advice and insight as they transition from campus to life outside academia.

Charles Gibson, the anchor of ABC's World News, former Good Morning America anchor and one of the most distinguished journalists working in television today, will be the featured speaker at this year's Commencement. The College's 213^th ceremony is set for 10 a.m. Sunday, June 17, in Hull Plaza.

"I am delighted that Charlie has agreed to do this," said Union Trustee Philip R. Beuth '54, former executive at Capital Cities/ABC who hired Gibson 20 years ago and has remained close friends with him. Beuth retired in 1995 as president of Good Morning America.

Gibson, 63, has more than 40 years of experience, some 30 of those spent at ABC News. He was covering the House of Representatives for the network in 1986 when he met with Beuth.

"Phil Beuth literally changed my life," he said. "I hardly knew the man, but he invited me to have a cup of coffee one morning in the ABC cafeteria and out of the blue said, ‘What would you think of being the male host on Good Morning America?' On the scale of surprises, that was off the charts."

Gibson co-anchored the popular morning program from 1987 to 1998 and then returned to re-launch the program with Diane Sawyer in 1999. He also co-anchored Primetime Thursday, now known as Primetime.

Beuth, one of the College's most generous benefactors, pledged $2 million to support Beuth House in 2004; in 1996, he donated $1 million to support the expansion and renovation of Schaffer Library. When he asked his former anchor to speak at commencement, Gibson told him of his own ties to the College. Gibson's father, Burdett Gibson, graduated in 1923; his uncle, Charles Gibson, whom he is named for, was a member of the Class of 1920. Both men were born in Schenectady.

Gibson was named anchor of World News Tonight last May after the death of longtime anchor Peter Jennings. A native of Evanston, Ill., Gibson grew up in Washington, D.C. and is a graduate of Princeton University, where he was news director for the campus radio station, WPRB-FM. He and his wife, Arlene, live in New York. They have two daughters and a grandson.

For a complete schedule of commencement events, go to http://www.union.edu/Commencement/.

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