Biden to speak at alma mater

SYRACUSE, N.Y., May 9 (UPI) -- U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will deliver the commencement address Sunday at his alma mater, Syracuse University College of Law.

Gannett News Service reported Saturday that, in his memoir, Biden said that in his first year at the school he was a "less-than-frequent visitor to class," something he blamed on a technical writing class.

"I'm not sure I even bought all the textbooks I was supposed to have first semester," he wrote in his book, "Promises to Keep."

Biden, who was a member of the class of 1968, will be awarded an honorary doctor of laws degree at the commencement ceremony.

"We feel so fortunate to have Vice President Biden making this historic visit to our university to share his message about the world with our graduates," said Chancellor and President Nancy Cantor. "Vice President Biden represents the best of Syracuse University, and who better to send off our spectacular 2009 graduating class?"

Gannett said Biden, the former longtime senator from Delaware, also will speak at Wake Forest on May 18 and the U.S. Air Force Academy on May 27.

"Syracuse will always have a special place in the vice president's heart, for its deep and personal connections to his family and for the outstanding legal education the university provided him," said Biden's spokeswoman, Elizabeth Alexander. "He is honored by this chance to address the graduates of Syracuse University and was thrilled that it would be the site of his first commencement address as vice president."