TEMPLE UNIVERSITY TO HOLD ITS 112TH COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY ON THURSDAY, MAY 20; HOMELESS ADVOCATE, HOWARD UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT RECEIVE HONORARY DEGREES; ALUM/TRUSTEE BILL COSBY GIVES ADVICE TO GRADS
Temple University's Class of 1999 will march down the aisle to receive their degrees on Thursday, May 20, at The Apollo of Temple.
Some 5,487 men and women are eligible to participate in Temple's 112th Commencement exercises, scheduled for 10 a.m., in The Forum at The Apollo of Temple, 1776 N. Broad St., at Montgomery Ave.
At the ceremony, Temple President Peter J. Liacouras will confer honorary degrees on Sister Mary Scullion, executive director and co-founder of Project H.O.M.E., who will receive the Doctor of Public Service degree; and H. Patrick Swygert, president of Howard University and previously an administrator at Temple for more than two decades, who will receive the Doctor of Laws degree.
The Class of 1999 will also get some words of advice from Temple's most famous alumnus and trustee, Bill Cosby.
A Temple alumna (she holds a master's degree in social work from Temple's School of Social Administration), Sister Mary Scullion has worked as an outspoken advocate of poor, homeless and mentally ill persons since 1978. In 1989, she co-founded Project H.O.M.E. (Housing, Opportunities, Medical Care, Education), which has grown from an emergency winter shelter to a nationally recognized agency that now runs 10 sites with 242 housing units for the homeless and four businesses that provide employment for formerly homeless persons. She has also been a powerful voice on political issues affecting homeless and mentally ill persons.
Sister Mary has earned numerous awards recognizing her efforts, including the 1992 Philadelphia Award, the Liberty Bell Award from the Philadelphia Bar Association, and honorary degrees from a number of colleges and universities.
A Philadelphia native, H. Patrick Swygert was appointed a member of the Temple Law School faculty in 1972, served as the school's acting dean in 1977 and then as special counsel to the president from 1980-82. In 1982, he was named vice president for university administration and in 1987 became executive vice president of the University. He was president of the State University of New York at Albany from 1990 to 1995 when he accepted the presidency of Howard. He received both his undergraduate degree and law degree, cum laude, from Howard in 1965 and 1968, respectively.
Speaking on behalf of the Class of 1999 will be Tricia S. Kang, who will receive her bachelor's degree in broadcasting, telecommunications and mass media from Temple's School of Communications and Theater.
Acting Provost Corrinne C. Caldwell will deliver the annual "Salute to the Graduates," recognizing the best and the brightest among this year's graduates.
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For more information, call Temple's News Bureau, 215-204-7476 [email protected].
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