Newswise — David Eisenhower, the grandson of the 34th president of the United States and namesake of the presidential retreat Camp David, will be the guest speaker when Misericordia University hosts its 82nd annual Commencement ceremony on Saturday, May 17 at 2 p.m. in the Anderson Sports and Health Center on campus. A baccalaureate Mass will precede the ceremony at 10:30 a.m.
During the commencement ceremony, Misericordia will present Mr. Eisenhower and his wife, Julie Nixon Eisenhower, daughter of President Richard M. Nixon and First Lady Pat Nixon, with honorary Doctor of Humane Letters Degrees.
The institution will also bestow the Catherine McAuley Medal to Dr. John P. Martin of Manchester, N.J., in recognition of his significant service to Misericordia University and the values to which it aspires. Dr. Martin is the founder of West Side Catholic High, the former Bishop O'Reilly High School, and served as a faculty member and chaplain at Misericordia.
Dr. Martin has been an active member of Council Misericordia as a retiree and has played an instrumental role in the development of the Bachelor of Science degree in health care management through the Expressway program. Dr. Martin and his late wife, Ann Marie Gerrity Martin, also established the Frederick and Sarah Joyce Gerrity Endowed Scholarship at Misericordia to benefit needy students.
Dr. Martin has a bachelor's degree in philosophy from St. Bonaventure University and a master's in psychology and counseling from the University of Scranton. He earned his doctorate in higher education from the Pennsylvania State University for which he wrote his doctoral dissertation, "The Establishment of Luzerne County Community College: A Case Study.''
Mr. Eisenhower is the author of a two-volume work on the Allied leadership in the pursuit phase of World War II entitled, "Eisenhower: At War,'' which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in history in 1986. He is also an historian and director of the Institute for Public Service at the Annenberg Public Policy Center. He serves as a senior research fellow at the University of Pennsylvania's Annenberg School for Communication and is a fellow in the International Relations Department at the university. In 2003, he was the winner of the University of Pennsylvania's Provost Award for excellence in university teaching.
From 2001-03, Mr. Eisenhower was editor-in-chief of the Foreign Policy Research Institute's (FPRI) Orbis journal. He currently is co-chair of FPRI's Teaching Institute. The author of numerous magazine articles and book reviews on the subjects of politics and history, he has lectured widely to audiences across the country on the presidency, foreign relations and World War II.
The grandson of President Dwight D. Eisenhower is a graduate of Amherst College and a three-year veteran of the United States Navy, where he served as an officer aboard the guided missile cruiser, Albany. In 1976, he earned his Juris Doctor from The Law Center at George Washington University. He is the recipient of seven honorary doctorates and is a fellow of the Society of American Historians.
Mrs. Eisenhower is an author, editor and public speaker. She has lectured widely throughout the United States on the presidency, leadership, women in politics and life in the White House. An assistant managing editor of The Saturday Evening Post, she helped establish a book division for the parent company and edited a series of anthologies. She is the author of three books, including the best-selling "Pat Nixon: The Untold Story.''
A lifelong volunteer, Good Housekeeping magazine named her one of the Ten Most Admired Women in America four times for her efforts on behalf of children, the elderly and the environment. Through the years, she has served on many nonprofit boards. In 1991, Mrs. Eisenhower was named a Distinguished Daughter of Pennsylvania for her community service. Most of her volunteer efforts since 1988 have been devoted to Jobs for America's Graduates, a nationwide program in 26 states which serves at-risk children. She has served as chair and vice chair of the organization. From 2002-06, Mrs. Eisenhower chaired the President's Commission on White House Fellowships.
Mrs. Eisenhower received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College and a master's degree from the Catholic University of America.
Founded and Sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy in 1924, Misericordia University is Luzerne County's first four-year college and offers 30 academic majors on the graduate and undergraduate levels in full and part-time formats.
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