Former U.S. Secretary of Defense and four-star Marine Corps General James Mattis will be the inaugural recipient of the Thomas S. Foley Award for Distinguished Public Service. The ceremony will be held April 9 at the John H. Hemmingson Center on the Gonzaga University campus in Spokane.

The Thomas S. Foley Institute for Public Policy and Public Service was established at Washington State University to honor Speaker Foley’s more than 30 years of public service to state and nation. The non-partisan institute provides high quality programs that educate about American democracy and support student engagement in public service.