Defense Secretary Robert Gates’ to-do list just got a little longer.

Somewhere among serving as the head of the Department of Defense and advising President Barack Obama on national defense policies is an appointment of particular interest to some graduating seniors: at the University of Georgia for the fall undergraduate commencement on Dec. 18.

“[Gates] and [University President Michael] Adams have been colleagues and have known each other for many years,” said Tom Jackson, vice president for public affairs. “Dr. Adams extended the invitation and Sec. Gates accepted.”

Gates served as president of Texas A&M University from 2002 until 2006, when he was selected by former President George W. Bush to succeed former Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld.

He was sworn in on Dec. 18, 2006, after 26 years with the Central Intelligence Agency and National Security Council. He later became the first secretary of defense asked to remain in that position under two presidents of differing political parties.

“There will be great benefit to the University having this guy come to speak,” said Matt Winston, assistant to the president. “This is a commencement speaker who very well may draw a lot of people in the community.”

But members of the community – like most attendees – will have to find a ticket.

“As more and more students have taken advantage of [graduating in December], the capacity has just exploded in the Coliseum,” Winston said, adding that the new policy of allotting undergraduates six tickets for friends and family at the December graduation is unrelated to Gates’ speech. “It really is a capacity issue.”

Gates will join a lengthy guest list of previous commencement speakers at the University. Former presidents Herbert Hoover and John F. Kennedy spoke at the University in 1926 and 1957, respectively – each before he rose to the presidency. Then-president Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke in 1938, and was awarded an honorary degree.

“I think that it’s pretty awesome that we were able to get the secretary of defense,” said Brandon Herrin, a finance major from Dublin, Ga., who will graduate in December.

Herrin cited Gates’ bipartisanship and high approval rating as two reasons he may have been chosen to speak.

But not all students were as impressed.

Jill Kornau will graduate from the University in December with a fashion merchandising degree.

“Honestly, I don’t know anything about him,” said the senior from Cincinnati, Ohio. “I definitely think they should pick someone famous – not Paris Hilton famous, but someone who has done something important. But you shouldn’t pick someone from fame alone, you should pick someone who will be inspiring.”

Stephanie Jackson will also graduate in December. She said she appreciates the “big name” coming to campus, but is not in favor of the ticket limitations.

“It’s annoying because I’m probably not even going to the big graduation now because I doubt I could convince one grandmother to go and not another,” she said.

But whether Gates’ popularity will affect turnout – Jackson said she’s not sure.

“I don’t think anyone in my family is going to make a decision whether or not they’re going to come to graduation based on who the speaker is,” she said. “It could be Michael Adams and I’d still have more than six people who would want to go.”

Gates will speak at Stegeman Coliseum at 9:30 a.m. on Dec. 18.

“It is a tremendous honor for a speaker of such national prominence, and one who holds a position of significant national importance at this time in America’s history, to accept the invitation to speak at UGA’s graduation,” Adams said in a news release. “I very much look forward to his address in December.”

Dorinda Dallmeyer, director of the Environmental Ethics Certificate Program at the University, will be the speaker for the graduate commencement ceremony – which does not require tickets – at 2:30 p.m., also in the Coliseum.