Michael Finley, a University of Wisconsin-Madison alum and two-time NBA all-star, will deliver the winter commencement speech to UW-Madison graduates in December.
Finley, an Illinois native, played for the Badgers men’s basketball team from 1991 to 1995 and is the school’s second-highest all-time scorer. Though his time in the NBA drew him away from UW-Madison, he eventually completed a degree in agricultural and applied economics in 2014.
“My experience at UW helped shape me,” Finley said in a UW-Madison news release Monday. “It prepared me for a life as a productive human being trying to make a positive impact on the world.”
“Mr. Finley is one of our most accomplished alums, on and off the courts. I know he will have a lot to share with this year’s graduates,” UW-Madison Chancellor Jennifer Mnookin said.
Gracie Nelson, UW-Madison senior class president, emphasized Finley’s connection to UW-Madison.
“[Finley’s] accomplishments are not just inspiring but also relatable as he once stood where our graduating class stands today,” Nelson said.
Winter graduation will occur in the Kohl Center at 10 a.m. on Sunday, Dec. 17.
Liam Beran is the former campus news editor for The Daily Cardinal and a third-year English major. He has written in-depth on higher-education issues and covered state news. He is a now a summer LGBTQ+ news fellow with The Nation. Follow him on Twitter at @liampberan.
