Law Center News
Renowned leader Cleo Fields to deliver spring commencement address
Southern University Law Center (SULC) is honored to announce that distinguished alum and accomplished leader, Louisiana State Senator Cleo Fields, will deliver the commencement address at this year's graduation ceremony. The Spring Commencement ceremony will take place on Saturday, May 18, beginning at 10 a.m. in the F.G. Clark Activity Center on the Southern University Baton Rouge campus.
Fields is a trailblazing figure in both politics and education. At the remarkable age of 24, he was elected to the Louisiana State Senate, becoming the youngest person ever elected to the State Senate in Louisiana's history and the youngest in the nation at that time.
In 1992, Fields continued to make history when he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Louisiana's 4th Congressional district. As the youngest member of the 103rd Congress at the age of 29, Fields championed initiatives to empower youth and promote civic engagement. His creation of the Congressional Classroom, a pioneering program aimed at educating students about the governmental process and fostering leadership skills, left an indelible mark on Louisiana's educational landscape.
Fields’ commitment to public service led him to make a historic bid for Governor of Louisiana in 1995, where he became the first African American since reconstruction to make the runoff. Throughout his tenure as Congressman and Senator, Fields remained steadfast in his advocacy for education, serving as chair of the Committee on Education and tirelessly championing initiatives to improve educational opportunities for all.
Beyond his illustrious career in politics, Fields is a devoted family man and an active member of the Mt. Pilgrim Missionary Baptist Church. He is married to Debra, and together they have two sons, Brandon and Christopher.
The ceremony will be live-streamed on the Law Center’s YouTube channel and website.
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