|
Date
Contact:
Tom Davis
Troy Office of University Relations
334/670-3196
tomdavis@troy.edu
Office of University Relations
253 Adams Administration
Troy, AL 36082
(334) 670-3196
(334) 670-3274 (fax)
| Owens
to speak at TSU graduation; record number of EMBA students
to receive degrees |
| William
T. Owens, a Troy State University graduate who is president and
chief operating officer of HealthSouth Corporation and a TSU
trustee, will be the featured speaker at the university’s
summer commencement ceremony Friday, Aug. 9 The ceremony is scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. at Sartain Hall. Approximately 230 students are scheduled to receive degrees, according to Tamara Jones, acting registrar, including 121 student who will receive bachelor’s degrees and 109 scheduled to receive master’s degrees. Students from 27 U.S. states and 10 foreign nations will earn degrees. Jones said this commencement also marks a special milestone, as a record 55 students will earn executive master of business administration degrees through the Sorrell College of Business at TSU. The EMBA is taught primarily over the Internet. "This is the largest number of students I have seen receiving the EMBA from the main campus," Jones said. "This is a combination of students in our EMBA program for employees of the HealthSouth Corporation, our U.S. Navy EMBA program and the EMBA program offered to members of the general public." Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., Chancellor of the Troy State University System, said it is appropriate that Owens address the summer semester graduates. "Given the large number of HealthSouth EMBA students who are receiving degrees, it’s an honor to have a key member of the HealthSouth team to come to campus for this occasion," Dr. Hawkins said. "We’re proud of Bill Owens’ success as an alumnus and we’re proud of his work on our board of trustees. I know he will have an inspiring message for all of our graduates." A native of Troy, Owens, a certified public accountant and certified information systems auditor, graduated with honors from TSU in 1981. He joined HealthSouth Corp. as controller in 1986, later working as executive senior vice president and chief financial officer before being named president and chief operating officer in 2001. A 1997 recipient of the TSU Distinguished Alumni of the Year award, Owens serves on the Business Advisory Council of the university’s Sorrell College of Business. An ordained deacon, he is a member of First Baptist Church of Pelham, having served as chairman of deacons, director of youth department Sunday school and as chairman of the youth minister search committee. Owens is married to the former Kaye Sanders, also of Troy. They have a daughter, Rikki, and a son, Tom. |