Christi Paul, anchor of CNN New Day Weekends and HLN’s Daily Share, will address graduates at The University of Toledo’s fall commencement Saturday, Dec. 19, at 10 a.m. in Savage Arena.
The UT graduate and Bellevue, Ohio, native, who also will receive an honorary degree during the ceremony, will address more than 2,000 candidates for degrees, including 138 doctoral candidates, 556 master’s degree candidates and 1,372 bachelor’s degree candidates.
Paul
This will mark the first University of Toledo commencement for UT President Sharon L. Gaber.
“From her time at UT to her successful career at CNN, Christi Paul has devoted her life to thoughtful curiosity, learning, and helping others with the power of information,” Gaber said. “She has been at the forefront of many major news stories of our time. The award-winning journalist and advocate for women and children is an inspiring voice who will offer a passionate message to our graduates and guests.”
The national journalist graduated from UT in 1993 with a bachelor of arts degree in communication with a focus on broadcast journalism.
“I’m humbled and honored to give the commencement speech and so grateful to UT, the professors who helped me grow, the staff who guided me to solid internships, and the friends I made along the way,” Paul said. “I will always credit UT for giving me my springboard into the journalism arena.”
Paul has covered many high-profile events throughout her distinguished career; these include President Barack Obama’s second inauguration, Hurricane Sandy, and the Casey Anthony murder trial. She was in the anchor chair, walking heartbroken viewers through the early hours of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School and Virginia Tech.
Prior to joining CNN and HLN in 2003, Paul worked as an anchor and reporter in Phoenix and Boise, Idaho. The Idaho Press Club honored Paul for her series about a brave 4-year-old girl who underwent a five-organ transplant. Paul began her career at WDTV in Clarksburg, W.Va.
The wife and mother of three also is passionate about helping children. Along with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, Paul is co-founder of the “Find Our Children” series that airs on HLN. Viewers have helped bring home 35 missing kids as a result of the news profile segments. The center honored Paul in 2012 with its prestigious Hope Award for her efforts to make the world a safer place for children.
Paul serves on the National Advisory Council for the One Love Foundation, which works with teens to help end dating violence. She also serves on the advisory board for When Georgia Smiled that helps victims of domestic violence and sexual assault find healing, safety and joy.
UT recognized Paul in 2006 as an Outstanding Alumna of the former College of Arts and Sciences.
The fall commencement ceremony will recognize graduates from the colleges of Adult and Lifelong Learning; Business and Innovation; Communication and the Arts; Judith Herb College of Education; Health Sciences; Languages, Literature and Social Sciences; Medicine and Life Sciences; Natural Sciences and Mathematics; Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; and Social Justice and Human Service.
Other commencement ceremonies that will take place are:
• College of Engineering — graduate commencement Thursday, Dec. 17, at 5 p.m.; undergraduate commencement Saturday, Dec. 19, at 3 p.m. Both ceremonies will be held in Nitschke Hall Auditorium.
• College of Nursing: Friday, Dec. 18, at 1 p.m. in Nitschke Hall Auditorium.
For more information, visit utoledo.edu/commencement.
