AUBURN – Robert Gibbs, a longtime advisor and strategist to President Barack Obama and former White House press secretary, will deliver the commencement address to Auburn University graduates at the spring ceremony May 9.

Auburn will award an estimated 3,139 degrees during the 9:30 a.m. ceremony, which will mark the first commencement exercises to take place in Jordan-Hare Stadium since 1968. A live video stream of the event will be available on the university’s website at www.auburn.edu/graduationlive.

An Auburn native, Gibbs graduated from Auburn High School in 1989 and North Carolina State University in 1993.

Gibbs has been an advisor and strategist to President Obama from the early days of Obama’s 2004 Senate race to his election to the White House. Most recently, Gibbs has served as the president’s press secretary, presiding over daily press briefings at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. He stepped down in February to work for the campaign.