Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard and Justice Robert D. Rucker will be commencement speakers at the graduation ceremonies at two Indiana schools.

The chief justice will speak at the University of Evansville graduation May 9, with a speech entitled "Graduating into the Great Recession." Chief Justice Shepard, an Evansville native, plans to describe in his speech why he thinks students can view both their economic prospects and value of their investment in higher education with justifiable optimism. The chief justice began his legal career in Vanderburgh County and served as a Vanderburgh Superior judge before joining the state's highest court.

Indiana Supreme Court Justice Robert D. Rucker will give the commencement address at Valparaiso University School of Law's commencement ceremony May 23. Justice Rucker earned his law degree from the school in 1976 and practiced law in Northwest Indiana. Prior to joining the bench, he served as deputy prosecutor for Lake County, city attorney in Gary, and practiced law in East Chicago. Justice Rucker served on the Indiana Court of Appeals from 1991 until his appointment to the Supreme Court in 1999.