Frank Reich, former Buffalo Bills quarterback, will be Genesee Community College's 2001 Commencement Speaker.

Commencement is scheduled for Sunday, May 20 at 1 p.m. in the Batavia Campus Gymnasium. The college expects to honor 471 graduates during the ceremony.

Considered by many to be one of the best backup quarterbacks in NFL history, Reich was known for his incredible comebacks. Not once, but twice, in his football career, the 6'4", 210 lb. player led his team to victory in the face of what seemed to be insurmountable odds. In 1984, down by more than 30 points, he engineered a record-setting comeback in college football. In 1993, he did it again as an NFL professional, according to college officials.

"Whatever happens in our life - defeat in a championship, loss of a job, death of a loved one - these are overwhelming circumstances that can cause deep despair," Reich said. "But we can get through difficult times."

Today, as a speaker, he draws from his experiences to demonstrate how individuals develop character when faced with inevitable hardship.