"Scandal" star Kerry Washington is following in the footsteps of some pretty prominent political folks including first lady Michelle Obama, Brian Williams and Rahm Emanuel and giving this year's commencement address at George Washington University. (And we thought her character, Olivia Pope, was connected).

The university announced Monday that the GW alumna and actress -- who also recently appeared in Academy Award-nominated "Django Unchained -- would be appearing in front of 25,000 graduates and their guests on the National Mall in a ceremony scheduled for Sunday, May 19. Washington, who graduated magna cum laude and formerly served on the university's Board of Trustees, will also receive an honorary degree.

Washington showed off her speaking chops at last summer's Democratic National Convention, appearing along with actresses Scarlett Johansson and Eva Longoria. She's a member of the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities. She's also been in and out of the District for years supporting a number of women's charities.