Kennesaw State University hosts 76th commencement
Kennesaw State University will hold its 76th commencement in two ceremonies Dec. 20‚ honoring…
Georgia (Dec 16, 2004) — Kennesaw State University hosts 76th commencement
Karen Kennedy
Abstract
Contact: Karen Kennedy‚ University Relations‚ 770−423−6203 or kkennedy@kennesaw.edu
Kennesaw State University will hold its 76th commencement in two ceremonies Dec. 20‚
honoring more than 1‚000 graduates. The speaker for both ceremonies will be James
A. (Micky) Blackwell‚ retired executive vice president for Lockheed Martin Corp. Currently
Blackwell serves as chairman of the Georgia Military Affairs Coordinating Committee
and a consultant to major corporations‚ policy groups and the U.S. government on aerospace
and defense issues.
At the 10 a.m. ceremony‚ Larry Lowenstein‚ media coordinator and special assistant
to the dean of Continuing Education at Kennesaw State University‚ will be named an
honorary alumnus of Kennesaw State. Lowenstein receives this honor in recognition
of his years of service to KSU.
“Larry brought to KSU his vital way of interacting with others‚” said KSU President
Betty L. Siegel. “And that has been put to good use for our university. He has served
as a wonderful conduit between the university and the larger public.”
When:
Monday‚ Dec. 20‚ 10 a.m.
Coles College of Business
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Monday‚ Dec. 20‚ 3 p.m.
College of the Arts
Bagwell College of Education
WellStar College of Health and Human Services
College of Science and Mathematics
Where:
Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center
Full bios of Blackwell and Lowenstein follow.
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Bio for James A. (Micky) Blackwell
Cobb County resident Micky Blackwell is the 1999 recipient of the Reed Aeronautics
Award‚ the highest award an individual can receive for achievements in the field of
aeronautical science and engineering. With a lifetime of work in aeronautics and engineering‚
Blackwell has also been recognized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
as the 1992 Region II Engineer of the Year. He was named 150th Anniversary Distinguished
Engineering Fellow by the University of Alabama’s College of Engineering in 1988‚
and was inducted into the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame in 1995. In 2002‚ he was
named Cobb County Citizen of the Year.
Currently Blackwell works as a consultant to major corporations‚ policy groups and
the U.S. government on aerospace and defense issues. This follows his retirement in
2000 as executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Corporation‚ after working at
Lockheed for more than 30 years. He was appointed to the position in 1995 and had
corporate oversight of Lockheed Martin’s worldwide aeronautics business headquartered
in Bethesda‚ Maryland.
Blackwell joined Lockheed Martin in 1969 as a research engineer after working seven
years for NASA in Langley‚ Virginia. He held a number of management positions at Lockheed‚
including chief engineer of special projects‚ vice president of engineering and vice
president of the F−22 fighter program. He served as president of Lockheed Aeronautical
Systems Company in Marietta from 1993 to 1995.
Blackwell received a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the University
of Alabama in 1962 and a master’s in the same discipline in 1966 from the University
of Virginia. He completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard in 1986 and received
an honorary doctor of laws degree from Mercer University in 1994.
Dedicated to community service and involvement‚ Blackwell is chairman of the Georgia
Military Affairs Coordinating Committee‚ which reports to the governor. He also serves
as a member of the Marietta Redevelopment Corporation‚ Cobb Community Foundation‚
Friends of the Strand and Aeronautical Museum Boards in Marietta. In addition‚ Blackwell
is a member of several university boards‚ including Kennesaw State University’s RTM
Institute for Leadership‚ Ethics & Character advisory board.
A native of Jasper‚ Alabama‚ Blackwell and his wife‚ Billie‚ reside in Marietta.
Bio for Larry Lowenstein
For 66 years‚ Kenneth Lawrence (Larry) Lowenstein has worked throughout the world
in public relations. He began his career as a Bloomingdales sales associate in 1938‚
but quickly put his salesman’s skills to work on greater endeavors. In his lengthy
career‚ he has worked on Ed Sullivan’s Harvest Moon Ball for the promotions department
of the New York Daily News and served as director of publicity and promotions for
Benton & Bowles Advertising‚ where he supervised the publicity for such TV programs
as Father Knows Best. In addition‚ he has worked in public relations for a number
of agencies‚ including his own‚ Larry Lowenstein Inc.‚ and for television stations
including the Atlanta CBS affiliate‚ WXIA (Channel 11) and the CBS−Television Network
in New York.
Lowenstein was honored in 2004 with the General Manager’s Award for Lifetime Achievement
by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) Southeast Chapter.
He has received the Big Heart Award from the Georgia District North Civitans Association
for Retarded Citizens; the James Kaufmann Award from the NAACP; the Phoenix Award‚
the Outstanding Public Service award and election into the Order of the Phoenix by
the Georgia Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America; the Silver Circle
Award from NATAS; and the Golden Mike Award from the Georgia Association of Broadcasters.
He is past president of the Atlanta chapter of the Society of Journalists‚ the Georgia
Association of Broadcasters and the Atlanta Chapter of the American Jewish Committee.
He has served or continues to serve on the boards of the Atlanta Urban League‚ Georgia
Special Olympics‚ Atlanta Chapter of the National Academy of Arts and Sciences‚ Georgia
and Atlanta Chapters of the American Cancer Society‚ Atlanta Press Club‚ Atlanta Chapter
of the NAACP and Atlanta Ad Club.
Currently‚ Lowenstein works as media coordinator and special assistant to the dean
of Kennesaw State University’s Department of Continuing Education. He is also writing
his memoirs‚ “Famous People Who Have Met Me.”
A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers more than 150 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees to its more than 41,000 students. With 11 colleges on two metro Atlanta campuses, Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia and the second-largest university in the state. The university’s vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the region and from 126 countries across the globe. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 6 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu.
