Chet Edwards to Address Baylor Law Graduates July 29

Rep. Chet Edwards will give the keynote address at Baylor Law School's commencement ceremonies scheduled for 10 a.m., Saturday, July 29, in Jones Concert Hall of the McCrary Music Building.

Edwards, who was selected to speak by the graduating class of 47 students, graduated from Texas A&M University in 1974. He then worked for three years for Congressman Olin E. "Tiger" Teague before earning an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Elected to his eighth term as the Congressman representing the 17th Congressional District of Texas in 2004, Edwards represents portions of North Texas, Central Texas and the Brazos Valley in Washington. Since first elected to the U. S. Congress in 1990, he is now one of only six House members to serve on both the House Budget and the Appropriations Committees. He also serves on the Military Quality of Life and Veterans Affairs Subcommittee, as Ranking Member, the Homeland Security Subcommittee, and co-chairs the bi-partisan House Army Caucus and the USO Congressional Caucus. He is also the only Texan on the Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, which oversees key homeland defense and university research programs to protect Americans from nuclear terrorism.

Edwards and his wife, Lea Ann (a 1984 Baylor graduate), along with their sons, J.T. (10) and Garrison (8) attend the Calvary Baptist Church in Waco.

Diplomas will be presented during the commencement program by Baylor President John M. Lilley and Law Dean Brad Toben, The Gov. Bill and Vara Faye Daniel Professor of Law. Hooding the graduates will be David M. Guinn, The Louise L. Morrison Professor of Constitutional Law and Master Teacher, and Professor Jim Wren. The invocation will be given by Professor Mark W. Osler.

After the ceremony, a reception for the graduates and their guests will be hosted by the Baylor Law Alumni Association in the student lounge at the Sheila and Walter Umphrey Law Center.