Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue always seemed to place an emphasis on higher education. Now he can do it with a front-row seat.

Tagliabue was unanimously selected to Georgetown University’s Board of Directors to serve as the next board chair. The former NFL commissioner and Georgetown Class of 1962 will begin serving his three-year term July 1, 2009.

One of Tagliabue’s main missions will be to get Georgetown, and its students, to respond to the growing demands of global interconnectivity.

“We must prepare a deeper cohort of students for leadership in the 21st century for many reasons, including the creation of new knowledge; the development of a richer understanding of cultures unfamiliar to us; and the acceleration of inter-religious dialogue,” Tagliabue said during a recent speech in Singapore. “If our nations are to co-exist successfully in the new global environment and to address the most pressing challenges of the 21st century, then we need to invest in our greatest natural resource: our future generations of young people.”

Now, his new job will allow him to help do that while allowing the chance to give back to his alma mater.

“This is an especially exciting time for Georgetown University and I am pleased to be able to have the opportunity to work with a talented leadership team to advance its important mission of education, research and service,” Tagliabue said.

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