When former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Robert E. Rubin '60 steps to the podium in Tercentenary Theater tomorrow to deliver the keynote address, he will be only the latest in a long line of influential Harvard Commencement speakers.

Rounding out a trio of economist speakers in recent years-following Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan in 1999 and Amartya K. Sen, an emeritus Harvard economics professor, in 2000--Rubin, now chair of Citigroup, was selected by an alumni committee and University President Neil L. Rudenstine in April.

"He is widely admired, both within the Harvard community and around the world, for his statesmanship, diplomacy, and leadership in international affairs. Few government officials in our time have been held in higher regard, or have had a more significant and positive impact within their spheres of responsibility," Harvard Alumni Association President Scott A. Abell '72 said at the time.

If Rubin follows the trend of his fellow economists' speeches of the past two years, he will bring a global perspective to the Commencement stage.

"I can imagine [his speech] will be something to do with the global economy," says University Marshal Richard M. Hunt, a Harvard history expert.

Last year, Sen emphasized that globalization brings increasing inequality along with increased wealth. It is important, he said, not to ignore the negative effects of globalization.

"We cannot, to use Francis Bacon's words, let these broader doubts [about globalization] pass 'lightly without intervention,'" he said.

Greenspan, too, addressed issues of globalization, pointing out that the graduating students, about to enter the working world, would soon have global influence, shaping the world's cultural, legal and economic institutions.