CNN Foreign Correspondent and former Moscow Bureau Chief Jill Dougherty will be the speaker at Marywood’s commencement ceremony this year, according to Marywood’s website.

Public Relations Director Juneann Greco said Marywood President Sr. Mary Persico, IHM, Ed. D met Dougherty at the Society for Irish Women’s St. Patrick’s Day dinner and immediately connected with her through conversation.

“Sister [Mary Persico] said that she appreciated the fact that at the beginning of her career, Jill was a minority in a very competitive field, and was able to advance due to her dedication, commitment to education and without ever losing sights of her roots, which are in our area,” said Greco.

According to Greco, Persico asked Dougherty to be Marywood’s commencement speaker.

“Ms. Dougherty said that knowing of Marywood her whole life and the values that we stand for, she would love to, and accepted,” said Greco.

Dougherty has reported from more than 50 countries including Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, China, North Korea and Russia, with her main interest and expertise in Russia.

Additionally, Dougherty served as CNN White House correspondent from 1991 to 1996.

According to Marywood’s website, Dougherty is a distinguished Visiting Practitioner at the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Policy and Governance and a Global Fellow at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington, D.C.

Senior Broadcast Journalism Major Haley O’Brien said she is looking forward to hearing Dougherty’s story.

“I hope she can share with us advice to get through the struggles that I feel most of us will face in the first few years of our professional lives,” said O’Brien.

Marywood’s Commencement will take place on Saturday, May 20 at 1 p.m. at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

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