Bonnie St. John will address NYU Abu Dhabi’s Class of 2019 and guests on May 27 at the university’s sixth commencement ceremony. St. John, who had her right leg amputated as a child, went on to be the first African-American medal winner at the Winter Olympics where she competed in downhill events. She is also a Rhodes Scholar, completing her Master of Letters in Economics at Oxford University after which she served as U.S. President Bill Clinton’s director of Human Capital Issues on the National Economic Council.

At the 1984 Paralympics in Innsbruck, Austria, St. John won a silver and two bronze medals. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard University, and her unique success story has contributed to her career as an author and speaker, writing multiple best-selling books on leadership and serving as a leadership consultant for Fortune 500 companies. St. John’s work focuses on challenges of multicultural women in the workplace, efficient and service-based leadership. She has been featured heavily in U.S. and international media, with NBC Nightly News calling her “One of the five most inspiring women in America.”

“We are deeply honored to announce Bonnie St. John as the keynote speaker for our sixth Commencement. A dedicated athlete, best-selling author, Rhodes Scholar, and former member of the White House National Economic Council, Ms. St. John has distinguished herself through her extraordinary resilience, commitment to fostering a more cooperative world, and dedication to empowering women to lead…” commented NYUAD Vice Chancellor Al Bloom.

Other speakers at the 2019 Commencement Ceremony will include NYU President Andrew Hamilton and NYUAD Class of 2019 speaker Rayan Elsharkawi. Majida Al Maktoum, Class of 2019, will give welcoming remarks. The ceremony — celebrating some 270 graduating students from more than 70 countries — will take place at NYUAD's Saadiyat Island campus.