Gary Peters

ANN ARBOR, MI — U.S. Sen. Gary Peters will deliver the University of Michigan Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy’s keynote address during its commencement this spring, first announced in a March 20 Ford School post.

Peters will speak before approximately 165 students, both undergraduate and graduate, during the Ford School graduation ceremony, which will take place at 4 p.m. Sunday, May 3, at Hill Auditorium, 825 N. University Ave., in Ann Arbor.

“It is my honor to address the graduates of the University of Michigan’s Ford School during this spring’s commencement ceremony,” the Democratic senator said in the March 20 post.

“These graduates represent the future of responsible policymaking, and I’m thrilled to celebrate their accomplishments as they get to work to address the serious challenges facing our state and country.”

Related: What to know about all of University of Michigan’s spring graduation ceremonies

Peters, who is not seeking reelection when his term ends in 2027, has served in the Senate since 2015 in a seat that was once occupied by fellow Democrat Carl Levin, the longest-serving senator in Michigan history.

In the 2014 Senate election, Peters received more votes than any other candidate statewide, even surpassing then-Gov. Rick Snyder’s total. Nationally, Peters was the only Democrat to win an open U.S. Senate seat in the election.

Peters previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served six years beginning in 2008.

The Pontiac-born politician’s elected life began as a member of the Rochester Hills City Council, where he served from 1991 to 1993.

Voters later elected him as a Michigan state senator, from 1995 to 2002.