BALTIMORE, Md. — Bill Nye “The Science Guy” will take the stage for Goucher’s 2019 commencement celebration, the school announced Friday.
The graduation proceedings on May 24 will mark the 20th anniversary of when Nye first addressed departing Goucher students, the school said. Nye’s mother is a Goucher alumni who also worked as a “secret Goucher code girl in WWII,” Goucher said. The “code girls” were students selected by the Navy to help in the top-secret mission of cracking the code of the German’s Enigma machine, a task that is credited with helping the Allied forces win World War II.
Nye is a well-known pop culture figure for his entertaining and engaging efforts to spread science education and knowledge, largely aiming his media at a younger audience or science novices. He has starred in TV shows, including a current Netflix series “Bill Nye Saves the World,” and is the author of several books that have made the New York Times bestseller list. Nye also serves as the CEO of the Planetary Society and is a co-chair of the inaugural March for Science, a movement pushing for evidence-based governmental policy.
“With his wit and wisdom, Bill Nye has shared the wonders of space and engineering and made learning fun for generations of students,” says Bryan Coker, vice president and dean of students at Goucher College. “His insights and relevance have only grown since he last shared his unique perspective with our graduates. We welcome him back to campus and to the college where his mother holds a distinctive place in history.”
