That’s right. Little Steven. Silvio Dante. Call him what you want, but after the may 14 commencement, you can call him “doctor”.
The process to select a speaker is a long one and, it being Rutgers, likely an arduous one as well. It involved faculty, students, and staff.
Van Zandt is best known as the bandana-wearing guitarist from Bruce Springsteen’s E Street Band and, before that, with Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Born in Boston, his family moved to Middletown, NJ when he was seven. And the rest is history.
Despite his deep roots in music and with no training in acting, Van Zandt took on the role of Silvio Dante in the New Jersey-based HBO series, The Sopranos.