Sen. Smith to speak at St. Olaf commencement
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, who has represented Minnesota in the United States Senate since 2018, will deliver the charge to the graduating class at St. Olaf College’s commencement ceremony.
Commencement will be held at 3 p.m. on Sunday, May 29, on the Campus Green between Mellby and Tomson Halls. The ceremony will be broadcast at several locations on campus, and it will be streamed and archived online.
During her time in the Senate, Smith has had more than 50 bills and provisions signed into law, including legislation making healthcare more affordable, expanding broadband services across Minnesota, and supporting schools and teachers working to prepare students for high-demand industries and careers. She has prioritized work to mitigate the effects of climate change and authored legislation aimed at transitioning the U.S. to a clean energy future.
Smith previously served as Minnesota’s Lieutenant Governor under Gov. Mark Dayton after serving as his Chief of Staff. She also served as Chief of Staff to Minneapolis Mayor R.T. Rybak. When Sen. Paul Wellstone died in a plane crash weeks before the 2002 election, Smith managed former Vice President Walter Mondale’s abbreviated campaign for the seat. Prior to her public service, she served as an executive at Planned Parenthood in Minnesota, worked at General Mills, and started her own business.
A graduate of Stanford University, Smith earned her MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College.