NEWARK — Steven Van Zandt, a long-time member of Bruce Springsteen’s E Street B and one of the stars of “The Sopranos,” will deliver the keynote address at Rutgers University’s commencement ceremony this spring.
Van Zandt, a New Jersey native, was approved by the university Board of Governors during its meeting Wednesday at Rutgers-Newark. He’s the latest in a series of high-profile graduation speakers at Rutgers, including President Barack Obama in 2016.
The university also announced Wednesday that Carla Hayden, the first woman and the first African American to serve as the U.S. Librarian of Congress, will speak at Rutgers-Camden’s commencement ceremony. Rutgers-Newark previously selected Eboo Patel, chief executive officer of the Interfaith Youth Core, to deliver the keynote address at its ceremony.
Van Zandt, a 1968 graduate of Middletown High School in Monmouth County, began performing with Springsteen in the 1970s and co-produced the albums “The River” and “Born in the U.S.A.”
He left the E Street band in the early 1980s but rejoined in 1999 and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 as a member of the group.
Also in 1999, Van Zandt began playing the role of Silvio Dante, the consigliere to Jersey mob boss Tony Soprano in HBO’s “The Sopranos.”
Van Zandt was selected through a new university process for selecting commencement speakers, which includes a formal nomination window and input from students, faculty and staff.
He will receive a Doctor of Fine Arts at the May 14 ceremony at High Point Solutions Stadium.
Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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