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Photo credit: Doctors Without Borders website |
President of Doctors Without Borders USA to Give 2009 Commencement Address
Matthew C. Spitzer, President of Doctors Without Borders USA, has accepted Vassar’s invitation to deliver the 2009 commencement address on Sunday, May 24. The invitation was made by President Hill, after hearing the advice of the senior class officers; Summer’s-Grace Green ’09, student assistant to the dean of the college; and psychology professor Carol Christensen. “As a leader of one of the world’s most honored and impressive humanitarian organizations, Spitzer will be in a position to challenge and inspire the members of the Class of 2009,” said Hill. “I look forward to hearing his message and celebrating the day with the class and their friends and families.”
Doctors Without Borders, founded in 1971 as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) by a group of French physicians, provides aid in nearly 60 countries to people threatened by violence, natural disaster, and malnutrition. It currently has sections in 19 different countries, governed by an international board of directors in Switzerland. In 1999, MSF received the Nobel Peace Prize. Spitzer, who has served as president of MSF’s U.S. section since 2006, graduated from Yale University with distinction in philosophy and obtained his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1995. While on campus, Dr. Spitzer plans to meet with students who are involved with or interested in humanitarian programs.