Campus News

Alumna to speak at commencement

May 16, 2009

Cheryl ThomasSimpson alumna Cheryl Thomas will deliver the Commencement address during Simpson College’s graduation ceremony this spring.

Commencement will be held May 16 at 10 a.m. in Cowles Fieldhouse.

Thomas, an attorney, has dedicated her life to promoting and advancing women’s human rights throughout the world. She is currently director of the Women’s Human Rights Program, which she founded at the Advocates for Human Rights in Minnesota in 1993.

“We are proud to have Cheryl Thomas as a Simpson alumna and honored that she has agreed to address our students as they embark on the next phase of their lives,” said Simpson College President John Byrd. “Simpson students dedicate many hours to working in their communities, and we hope they will continue to serve after graduation. As an attorney and advocate, Cheryl has worked to improve the lives of women throughout the world, and she provides a great example of what it is possible to achieve with a Simpson College degree.”

Thomas was invited to be the Commencement speaker based on the recommendations of a student and faculty advisory committee.

“Cheryl Thomas is a Simpson alumna who has exemplified one of Simpson’s highest values: service to others,” said Senior Class President Matthew T. Olson, a member of the committee. “As Simpson students, we have the opportunity to go out and serve others, and we felt her message would encourage the graduating class to remain humanitarians as they go out into the world.”

About the Speaker
Cheryl Thomas graduated from Simpson College in 1979 and the University of Minnesota Law School in 1983. After receiving her law degree, Thomas practiced law at the Minnesota Attorney General’s Office and was a partner at the law firm Briggs and Morgan.

Since 1994, Thomas has traveled throughout Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to work with local partners to promote women’s human rights. In 2008, she was selected to be one of 15 experts from around the world to participate in a United Nations Expert Group Meeting on good practices in legislation on violence against women.

Additionally, Thomas has served as executive director of WATCH, a court monitoring organization focused on cases of violence against women. She has also taught women’s international human rights law at the University of Minnesota as an adjunct professor. In 2005, she was recognized for her efforts as a Changemaker by the Minnesota Women’s Press.

Last Updated: 4/22/09