Eboo Patel, one of the nation’s most influential civic leaders and advocate for building bridges across difference, will deliver the keynote address at Denison University’s 185th Commencement Ceremony on Saturday, May 16. Patel will be recognized with the conferring of an honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa.
“From my perspective, Eboo Patel is one of the prominent civic voices in the United States,” said Denison President Adam Weinberg. “I have long admired his work, especially as it relates to creating leaders who have the skills and habits to effectively create healthy communities, businesses and civic organizations.”
Recognized by U.S. News & World Report as “one of America’s best leaders,” Patel, a civic leader and speaker, embraces pluralism, harnessing the power of different views and life experiences to create paths forward that enhance the common good.
As founder and president of Interfaith America, which educates and trains leaders to embrace the power of pluralism, Patel has built a far-reaching institution that partners with governments, universities, businesses, and civic organizations to create vibrant organizations, institutions, and communities.
Patel has also been a tireless advocate for education, the liberal arts, and the role academic institutions play in building and sustaining vibrant and healthy democratic societies.
A Rhodes scholar and Ashoka fellow, Patel earned his doctorate from Oxford University and served on President Obama’s Inaugural Faith Council. He is the author of five influential books, including We Need to Build: Field Notes for Diverse Democracy and Sacred Ground: Pluralism, Prejudice, and the Promise of America, which former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright called “a refreshing, thought-provoking, myth- smashing, and deeply patriotic exploration of American identity and ideals.”