Sen. Sherrod Brown, D-Ohio, will deliver the autumn commencement address at Ohio State. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Managing Editor for Multimedia

Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown — an Ohio State alumnus — will deliver the commencement address to approximately 3,600 fall Ohio State graduates, according to a university press release. 

Brown is currently serving his third term in the Senate since beginning his senatorial career in 2006. He is a ranking member of the Senate Banking Committee, serves on the Senate Committee on Finance and on the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry Committee as well as the Senate Veteran’s Affairs Committee, according to the release. 

“It’s always an honor to speak to Ohio graduates. I look forward to speaking at The Ohio State University commencement in the fall. I’m sure these graduates will make our state and country proud as they move on to the next chapters of their lives,” Brown said in a statement.

University President Michael V. Drake said in the release that Brown’s experience will provide insight to Ohio State graduates. 

“An engaged leader and proud Ohio State alumnus, Senator Brown lends his broad expertise to some of our nation’s most significant policy discussions,” Drake said. “His passion for public service will inspire our graduates as they consider their own impact as global citizens.”

Brown is from Mansfield, Ohio, and earned his Bachelor of Arts degree at Yale and master’s degree in both education and public administration from Ohio State in 1979 and 1981, respectively. 

Brown began his career in 1975 when he was the youngest person elected to the Ohio House of Representatives  at the age of 22, according to the release. 

In 1992, Brown was elected to Congress to represent Ohio’s 13th district in the western and southern suburbs of Cleveland, and was re-elected six times, the release states. After being elected to his third term in the Senate in 2018, Brown was considered a potential 2020 Democratic presidential candidate, but he decided not to run for president. 

Sen. Sherrod Brown will address students at commencement Dec. 15 at the Schottenstein Center. 

Editor’s note: This story was updated Oct.9 with comment from Brown.