His connection to the University of Delaware, where he got his bachelor's in 1965, goes back even longer. He has spoken at four university commencements, in 1978, 1987, 2004 and 2014, and last December spoke at the inauguration of university president Dennis Assanis. He donated his senatorial papers to the university's library in 2011, and his wife received her bachelor's and doctorate degrees from the university.