The Class of 2005 will leave Providence College to the sound of a familiar voice when Tom Brokaw, the veteran former anchor of NBC Nightly News, delivers the keynote address at the 87th Commencement Exercises on Sunday, May 15, 2005, at the Dunkin’ Donuts Center in Providence.

Brokaw stepped down from his anchor position on December 1, 2004, in order “to have more time to think about fewer things,” he told Time magazine.

“We deeply appreciate that Tom accepted our invitation to address Providence College graduates, even as he was planning his departure as the anchor of NBC Nightly News,” said College President Rev. Philip A. Smith, O.P. “In September 2001, the freshman class of 2005 had barely settled into college when their lives, and all of our lives, changed forever. As one of the most respected journalists in our lifetime—who has witnessed and reported on the major events that have shaped our world—Tom’s presence and words will be a memorable conclusion to their college years.”

Brokaw began his career in television news in 1962 and joined NBC News in 1966. He anchored the Today program from 1976 to 1981 before becoming the anchor and managing editor of NBC Nightly News. He has reported on every American presidential election since 1968 as well as numerous landmark stories including the Watergate scandal, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Oklahoma City bombing, and the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

In addition, he conducted the first exclusive U.S. one-on-one interview with Russian President Mikhail Gorbachev and, later in his career, reported a series of hour-long documentaries, Tom Brokaw Reports. These documentaries tackled such topics as literacy, affirmative action, drunken driving, corporate scandals, immigration policies, and education. 

Brokaw is the recipient of various honors including the Emmy, Peabody, National Press Club, National Headliner, and Edward R. Murrow awards and is a member of the TV Hall of Fame. In 1997, NBC established a scholarship in his name. He is also the best-selling author of four books, most notably The Greatest Generation.