LaHood named fellow at Illinois alma mater

Former Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood has been named a senior fellow for a Peoria, Ill. university.

Bradley University announced its appointment of LaHood, who left office earlier this year, on Wednesday.

The university, which LaHood is an alumnus of, said the former secretary will be a senior distinguished fellow for its Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service (IPL).

mosads}The institute’s Executive Director Brad McMillan said the school was honoring LaHood because the former Transportation secretary was the first alum of the university to hold a Cabinet post.

“Ray LaHood is the first Bradley alumnus asked to serve in a President’s cabinet,” McMillan said in a statement. “He served with great distinction in the U.S. Congress for 14 years and his experiences in the public service arena will be of great benefit to Bradley students.”

LaHood also said that he has close ties to the university.

“It is where I met my wife Kathy and received a great education,” LaHood said in a statement. “I believe that the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service at Bradley can inspire a new generation of public service leaders to use a bipartisan and collaborative approach to resolving America’s toughest issues.”

LaHood was replaced at the helm of the DOT by current Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. He served as DOT chief during President Obama’s entire first term.