U.S. Congressman Bart Stupak will be the keynote speaker at Northern Michigan University’s spring commencement on Saturday, May 2. He will also receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Since 1992, Stupak has represented Michigan’s first congressional district in the U.S. House of Representatives. It is one of the largest such districts in the nation, encompassing 31 counties from the entire Upper Peninsula and the northern part of the Lower Peninsula.

Stupak is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In that capacity, he serves on two subcommittees: telecommunications and the Internet; and environment and hazardous waste. He also chairs the oversight and investigations subcommittee.

A graduate of Gladstone High School, Stupak began his career in public service as an Escanaba police officer in 1972. He joined the Michigan State Police force the following year and retired in 1984 after being injured in the line of duty. He went on to serve northern Michigan residents as an attorney and as a state representative for Menominee, Delta and Dickinson counties.

The congressman earned an associate degree from Northwestern Michigan Community College in Traverse City, a bachelor’s in criminal justice from Saginaw Valley State University and a Juris Doctorate from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing.

Northern’s commencement begins at 10:30 a.m. in the Superior Dome. It will be broadcast live on WNMU-TV. Streaming video of the ceremony will be available from B2 Networks for $7 at www.b2livetv.com.