Billionaire businessman-turned-politician Michael Bloomberg will deliver the commencement address to graduates May 19, the university announced this week.

Bloomberg, a Republican, defeated Democrat Mark Green in 2002 to become New York City's 108th mayor.

In his first elected position, he has faced the daunting task of filling former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani's shoes and helping the city recover from the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The attack left not only a void in the city skyline and the hearts of New Yorkers, but an enormous budget deficit as well.

A year after the attack, City Comptroller William C. Thompson Jr. estimated that the economic costs of the attack will run between .8 billion and .8 billion from Sept. 2001 to the end of 2004.

"We think (Bloomberg) will be a very interesting speaker because of the challenges he faces in leading the City of New York," said Sandra Boyette, vice president for university advancement and a member of the panel that selected Bloomberg. "The duties of all public servants changed radically on 9/11, especially in our largest cities, and I believe that Mayor Bloomberg's perspective on his city's future, as well as America's, will be timely and insightful."

Boyette said that in selecting a speaker, the university tries to "identify a person of integrity who has been successful in his or her profession, someone who is involved in current issues (and) someone who would have something important and memorable to say to our graduates."

Others involved in the selection process include the university president and the provost, and nominations for potential speakers are taken from students, faculty, alumni and parents.

Bloomberg was a lifelong Democrat before he switched parties to run for mayor.

He has not shied away from disagreements with Republicans on several major issues, including abortion, gay rights, gun control and the death penalty.

Before his political life, Bloomberg built his fortune around Bloomberg L.P., a financial information service company that he founded in 1982.

By 2002, the service had more than 165,000 subscribers. He entered the media business in 1990, launching Bloomberg News service.

He then added radio, television, Internet and publishing operations. Today, his business media empire is worth billion, and Bloomberg takes time to share some of his wealth.

His philanthropic endeavors focus on education and the arts, public workers such as firefighters and police officers and Jewish causes, including a million renovation of the Temple Shalom's community center in his hometown of Medford, Mass.

He has served on the boards of the Lincoln Center for Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Police and Fire Widows' and Children's Benefit Fund and the S.L.E. (Lupus) Foundation.

He was also the former chairman of the board of trustees of John Hopkins University, his alma mater.

Senior Brian Davis, a resident of New York City, called the selection of Bloomberg a "happy coincidence" for him.

"I'm looking forward to it, but I probably would have liked to have Rudy Giuliani speak a little more," he said.