United States Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, a former NCAA student-athlete at Harvard University, will be a featured speaker at the 2010 NCAA Convention in Atlanta.

NCAA Interim President Jim Isch said Duncan’s appearance will underscore the Convention’s theme, “Where Leaders of Higher Education and Athletics Connect.”

“Secretary Duncan is an excellent example of the leadership that is often developed from participation in intercollegiate athletics,” Isch said.  “This will be a great opportunity, also, for our Convention delegates to hear from the nation’s top educator in President Obama’s administration.”

Duncan will speak during the Convention’s opening business session Thursday, January 14. The session also will feature the annual State of the Association address from Isch and remarks from NCAA Executive Committee chair Edward Ray, president of Oregon State University.

Duncan was co-captain of Harvard’s basketball team and was named a first team Academic All-American (he played professional basketball in Australia from 1987-91). He graduated magna cum laude with a degree in sociology. In his official bio, Duncan credited his collegiate basketball experience for his “team-oriented and highly disciplined work ethic.”

The Senate confirmed Duncan as education secretary on January 20, 2009, the day President Obama was inaugurated.

Duncan’s previous roles include serving as chief executive officer of the Chicago Public Schools and running the Ariel Education Initiative, a nonprofit education foundation. The Ariel Education Initiative helped fund college educations for a class of inner-city children under the I Have a Dream Program.

He has served on the boards of many organizations, ranging from Jobs for America’s Graduates and Junior Achievement to the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ Foundation. He has also received numerous awards. Last year, Duncan was honored by the Civic Federation of Chicago and the Anti-Defamation League.