Bill Lawrence, Prolific Creator, Producer, Writer, and Director of TV’s Biggest Hits, to Deliver 95th Commencement Address at Sarah Lawrence College

Linda Earley Chastang '74, President and CEO of the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation, will receive an honorary degree

Sarah Lawrence College President Cristle Collins Judd today announced that television producer, director, writer, and creator Bill Lawrence will deliver the keynote address at the College’s 95^th Commencement ceremony on Friday, May 12.

The co-creator of two of today’s most talked about shows—Shrinking and Ted Lasso—Lawrence is also the co-creator of Cougar Town, Spin City, and Clone High, and the creator of Scrubs, a fan favorite that continues to delight and gain audiences through syndication and streaming. His latest project, Bad Monkey, is a drama series based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Carl Hiaasen.

Lawrence—whose full name is William Van Duzer Lawrence IV—is the great-great grandson of William and Sarah Lawrence, the founders of the College. Lawrence’s production company, Doozer, is a play on his middle name.

Lawrence is married to actress Christa Miller, a frequent player in his productions, and together they have three children: William, Henry, and popular singer-songwriter Charlotte Sarah Lawrence.

“Bill has a knack for bringing incredible depth and humanity to his characters and telling stories that are both deeply moving and incredibly powerful,” said Judd. “He so beautifully captures the power of optimism and kindness in a world that often seems to be lacking both. I can’t think of a better person to deliver what I’m sure will be an inspiring and uplifting address for the Class of 2023.”

Sarah Lawrence’s commencement exercises, which will be held at 10 a.m. under a tent on the campus’ Westlands Lawn, will also honor alumna Linda Earley Chastang, attorney and President and CEO of the John and Lillian Miles Lewis Foundation.

A 1974 graduate of Sarah Lawrence, Chastang went on to earn a JD from Howard University and an LLM from Emory University. She is a member of the bar in Georgia, Washington, D.C., and Florida, and she is admitted to the bars of the U.S. Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit.

In 1982, at age 27, Chastang was the youngest, the only female, and the first Black faculty member at Georgia State College of Law. Later, she became General Counsel in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People’s (NAACP) Washington office before going on to serve as Congressman John Lewis’ Chief of Staff, Counsel, and Associate Staff on the Ways and Means Committee.

“Linda is doing important work to further the passion that John and Lillian Lewis had for purposeful living and civic engagement,” said Judd. “Her dedication to creating a more equitable world for all is inspiring, and we’re proud to honor her at Commencement.”

The College’s Board of Trustees unanimously resolved to confer upon Chastang a Doctor of Laws (LL.D), honoris causa.