Alan Page, associate justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court and former NFL football player, has been selected as the Class of 2008 commencement speaker, the college announced today.

Page was drafted by the Minnesota Vikings in 1967 as a defensive tackle and became the linchpin of the “Purple People Eaters” — the nickname for the team’s fierce defensive line — in the late 1960s and 1970s. He also played for the Chicago Bears from 1978 to 1981.

While playing in the NFL, Page received his law degree from University of Minnesota Law School, and worked his way up to become the first African-American justice on the Minnesota Supreme Court. After being elected to the court, Page and his wife, Diane, founded the Page Education Foundation, which helps send minorities to college.

Tiffany Casale, president of the senior class, said Page is a very well-rounded person and will act as a catalyst for graduates to enter the world.

“For him, it seems like it wasn’t really all about football — it was about life afterwards,” she said. “For someone who accomplished so much while playing professional football, I think, [it] is inspiring.”

Page, the first defensive player in NFL history to receive the league’s MVP award in 1971, was also named one of “Star Tribune’s” 100 Most Important Sports Figures of the Century.

Casale said the class began the process early, and a survey was sent out over the summer to assess what students were looking for in a speaker.

“We start big ... of course we get requests for the Dane Cooks and John Stewarts,” Casale said. “But the college quickly narrows the list down.”

Casale said they chose Page by mid-October, and the official details and contracting have been in the works since then.

Brian McAree, vice president of student affairs and campus life, helps with the process and said coordinating the speaker can be very tricky at times because of everything being considered.

“It’s a collaborative effort,” he said. “We were looking for someone who can provide graduates with inspiration at this pinnacle moment in their lives.

Casale said the cabinet considered availability and cost when making a decision, but were focused on bringing someone who was a philanthropist and had a “really great story” to share with graduates.

“I am beyond excited for him to speak,” Casale said. “As a year-round athlete, I’ve always looked to [other athletes] as role models.”