AUSTIN, Texas, May 15, 2020 — Colin Crowell, Twitter's former vice president of global public policy & philanthropy, will deliver the commencement address to the 2020 graduating class of the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin during the school's virtual commencement ceremony on May 23, 2020.
Crowell built an award-winning philanthropy program at Twitter, and guided the development and growth of the company's @Policy team and its activities around the world. During his eight years at Twitter, he engaged with global policymakers and civil society on a range of internet policy issues including net neutrality, state-sponsored election interference, free expression, counter terrorism, content moderation and human rights.
"It is a pleasure to welcome Colin Crowell to address this cohort of graduates in the School's 50th year,” said Angela Evans, dean of the LBJ School. "He has been in the arena as part of vital decisions about technology and the internet, and at the forefront of determining policies for how technology will play in our lives. During this time, when we are relying on technology to bring us together when we are forced to be apart, his perspective and experience are particularly relevant to our students."
#LBJSchool is pleased to announce its 2020 graduation speaker: Colin Crowell, Twitter's former VP of @Policy. His work is inspiring during this time when technology is connecting us when we're forced to be apart. https://t.co/SfV4LNLaTG #LBJGrad20 #UTGrad20 pic.twitter.com/8yz1eYdACk
— The LBJ School (@TheLBJSchool) May 15, 2020
"I'm honored to have the opportunity to speak at the LBJ School of Public Affairs at The University of Texas at Austin — especially as the school celebrates its 50th anniversary,” said Crowell. "I look forward to virtually celebrating the graduates of 2020 for their impressive academic achievements as they embark on the next exciting phase of their careers."
Before joining Twitter, Crowell worked in the Obama administration as senior counselor to the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), assisting in the creation of the National Broadband Plan and acting as the chairman's strategic adviser on a range of policy and legislative matters.
Crowell also spent more than two decades on Capitol Hill drafting telecommunications laws on the committee staff of then-U.S. Rep. (now Sen.) Ed Markey (D-MA), the longtime chairman and ranking Democrat on the House Telecommunications and Internet Subcommittee. He was Markey's top telecommunications staffer when numerous landmark laws were being considered, including the Telecommunications Act of 1996, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act.
A graduate of Boston College, Crowell spent three years as a Jesuit International Volunteer in Arequipa, Peru, where he taught mathematics and English at a Jesuit high school, volunteered at an orphanage and helped run a community soup kitchen.
About the LBJ School of Public Affairs
The LBJ School, ranked No. 8 in the nation among graduate public affairs schools, makes a difference, not only within the walls of academia, but also in the public and social dialogue of the world. Contributing viable solutions to society is the LBJ School's legacy and its benchmark. Its effectiveness in channeling the purpose and passion of students into professional careers is evident in the success of more than 4,500 graduates who are the living legacy of President Johnson's bold and fearless action. The University of Texas at Austin is home to the LBJ School. Learn more: lbj.utexas.edu