Kennesaw State University hosts 78th commencement
Kennesaw State University will hold its 78th commencement honoring 700 graduates in two separate…
Georgia (Jul 28, 2005) — Kennesaw State University hosts 78th commencement
Stacey Moore
Abstract
Contact: Frances Weyand‚ 770−423−6203 or fweyand@kennesaw.edu
Kennesaw State University will hold its 78th commencement honoring 700 graduates in
two separate ceremonies.
This summer’s commencement ceremonies feature S. Truett Cathy‚ founder and chairman
of Chick−fil−A‚ and Congressman Tom Price as speakers. Their bios follow.
When:
Monday‚ Aug. 1‚ 10 a.m.
Speaker: S. Truett Cathy
College of the Arts
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
WellStar College of Health and Human Services
Monday‚ Aug. 1‚ 3 p.m.
Speaker: Tom Price
Leland H. and Clarice C. Bagwell College of Education
Michael J. Coles College of Business
College of Science and Mathematics
Where:
Convocation Center
Kennesaw State University
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Kennesaw State University is a comprehensive‚ residential institution with a growing
student population 18‚000 from 132 countries. The third largest state university out
of 34 institutions in the University System of Georgia‚ KSU offers more than 55 undergraduate
and graduate degree programs.
Bio of Thomas E. Price
Congressman Tom Price‚ a diligent and tireless worker and problem solver‚ has rapidly
emerged as a leader in Georgia. Colleagues in the Georgia Senate twice elected Price
minority whip‚ and in 2002‚ he was elected the first Republican majority leader in
the history of Georgia. In August 2004‚ Price won the Republican nomination for Congress
from Georgia's 6th Congressional District‚ comprised of Cherokee‚ Cobb and Fulton
counties. He was elected to Congress without opposition in November 2004.
In Congress‚ Price's priorities are reforming the tax system‚ strengthening health
care and education‚ bringing common sense to the litigation system and finding transportation
solutions for Atlanta's residents and commuters. Price is currently working to eliminate
the capital gains tax‚ enact the FairTax plan and secure the future of Medicare. Price
favors allowing individual states the autonomy to improve their schools and end burdensome
regulation.
As a U.S. representative‚ Price serves on the Committee on Financial Services‚ as
well as the Committee on Education and the Workforce.
House Majority Whip Roy Blunt appointed freshman Congressman Price to the Whip Organization
as deputy assistant whip. In addition to this leadership position‚ Price also serves
on the National Republican Congressional Committee's executive board.
As a medical doctor‚ Price is a leader in the healthcare arena. His credits include
legislative efforts to increase patient choice in a more flexible health−care system‚
to enact Medical Savings Accounts and to reform the Medicaid System in Georgia. Price
has been the leading sponsor of civil justice reform legislation to ensure patient
access to quality health care and bring down skyrocketing medical malpractice premiums.
Other legislative successes include primary co−sponsorship of Georgia's Greenspace
program‚ reducing income taxes for senior citizens‚ improving employee screening in
childcare facilities and strengthening laws against Internet child predators.
Price received a doctor of medicine degree from the University of Michigan and completed
his orthopaedic surgery residency at Emory University‚ before establishing an orthopaedic
clinic just north of Atlanta. After nearly twenty years of private practice he returned
to Emory University School of Medicine as an assistant professor. Price was most recently
medical director of the Orthopaedic Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta‚
teaching resident doctors in training.
Active in his community‚ Price is a past president of the Roswell Rotary Club and
has served on boards of the North Fulton Chamber of Commerce‚ Orchestra Atlanta‚ the
Arthritis Foundation‚ the North Metro YMCA and the Northside Bank. Price lives with
his wife‚ Elizabeth‚ and son‚ Robert‚ in Roswell‚ where they are members of the Georgia
Ensemble Theater‚ the Fulton County Taxpayer's Association‚ the Chattahoochee Nature
Center and the Roswell Presbyterian Church.
Bio of S. Truett Cathy‚ Founder and Chairman‚ Chick−fil−A‚ Inc.
S. Truett Cathy is founder and chairman of Chick−fil−A Inc. Cathy started the business
in 1946‚ when he and his brother opened an Atlanta diner known as The Dwarf Grill.
In 1967‚ Cathy opened the first Chick−fil−A restaurant in Atlanta's Greenbriar Shopping
Center. Today‚ Chick−fil−A is the second−largest quick−service chicken restaurant
chain in the United States based on annual sales.
Cathy's approach is largely driven by personal satisfaction and a sense of obligation
to the community and its young people. His WinShape Centre® Foundation‚ founded in
1984‚ grew from his desire to "shape winners" by helping young people succeed in life
through scholarships and other youth−support programs. The foundation annually awards
20 to 30 students wishing to attend Berry College with scholarships up to $32‚000
that are jointly funded by the Rome‚ Ga. institution. In addition‚ through its Leadership
Scholarship program‚ the Chick−fil−A chain has given nearly $20 million in $1‚000
scholarships to Chick−fil−A restaurant employees since 1973.
As part of his WinShape Homes® program – a long−term care program for foster children
– 14 foster care homes have been started in Georgia‚ Alabama‚ Tennessee and Brazil
that are operated by Cathy and the WinShape Foundation. These homes‚ accommodating
up to 12 children with two full−time foster parents‚ provide long−term care for foster
children with a positive family environment.
In 1996‚ Chick−fil−A became the title sponsor of the Chick−fil−A Peach Bowl. A portion
of the proceeds from the Chick−fil−A Peach Bowl is donated to WinShape Homes. The
December 2004 bowl game contributed a record $410‚000 to WinShape Homes‚ other charities
and for scholarships‚ making it the number−one bowl in the country for charity donations
in 2004.
Cathy has received countless awards over the years including: Lifetime Achievement
Award from the National Poultry & Food Distributors Association (2005); Norman Vincent
& Ruth Stafford Peale Humanitarian Award (2003); Catalyst Lifetime Achievement Award
from Injoy/John Maxwell (2003); Georgia Sports Hall of Fame – Chairman’s Award (2003);
the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year – Lifetime Achievement Award (2000); and
Horatio Alger Award – Horatio Alger Association‚ Washington‚ D.C. (1989). He is the
author of “Eat Mor Chikin: Inspire More People” (Looking Glass Books‚ 2002)‚ “It’s
Easier to Succeed Than to Fail” (Thomas Nelson Publishing‚ 1989) and “It’s Better
to Build Boys Than Mend Men” (Looking Glass Books‚ 2004)‚ and he is co−author of “The
Generosity Factor‚” with Ken Blanchard (Zondervan Publishing‚ 2002).
In addition to presiding over the successful restaurant chain‚ Cathy is a dedicated
husband‚ father and grandfather. Cathy and his wife‚ Jeannette‚ have three children‚
12 grandchildren and more than 150 "foster grandchildren."
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.
