Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver George Washington University’s commencement address May 17 and will be awarded an honorary doctorate of public service, the university announced Wednesday night.

“I am delighted that Tim Cook has accepted our invitation to give this year’s commencement address on the National Mall,” George Washington President Steven Knapp said. “I know our graduating students will be inspired and enlightened by his reflections on the lessons he has garnered from his distinguished career as a highly effective leader at the forefront of technological innovation.”

Cook was the Financial Times’ Person of the Year for 2014, and in 2012 was named one of the 100 most influential people in the world by Time magazine. He joined Apple in 1998, and served as chief operating officer prior to being named CEO. Previously, he was an executive at Compaq, now part of Hewlett-Packard Co., Intelligent Electronics and IBM.

Previous GW commencement speakers include award-winning actress and alumna Kerry Washington, B.A. ’98; former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg; First Lady Michelle Obama; former President George H.W. Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush; and then First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton.