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August 8, 2003
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)
| TROY
STATE UNIVERSITY OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY RELATIONS PRESS RELEASE FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 1-334-670-3196 |
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holds graduation, honors long-time administrator Troy State University's chief academic officer received a double honor Friday morning as he was the keynote speaker for TSU’s summer commencement ceremony and the recipient of an honorary doctoral degree. TSU Provost Fred B. Davis, who joined the faculty in 1970, received the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters from Dr. Jack Hawkins Jr., Chancellor of Troy State University, in recognition for his years of outstanding service to TSU. Davis is scheduled to retire from full-time employment at TSU in December. In his introduction of Davis, Chancellor Hawkins called him “the conscience” of Troy State University. “He has brought to TSU a commitment that he will never allow academic standards to waver,” Hawkins said. “And he is tireless in his defense of academic quality.” In his graduation remarks, Davis told approximately 200 graduates Friday that their grounding in the liberal arts and sciences will form the foundation for their future successes. Davis urged the graduates to appreciate those “dreaded general studies courses which you suffered through and loathed, but which will later define you as a critical, well-thinking graduate.” He also challenged the graduates to represent TSU well once they leave Troy. “Ultimately, a university’s reputation rests upon the performance, the successes and the contributions of its product - its graduates - and in that regard we are held accountable in the same way as private enterprise and captains of industry,” Davis said. “With the diploma you earn today, you incur the responsibility to represent TSU well.” A native of Calvert, Texas, Davis received bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Georgia. His honors include membership in Phi Beta Kappa and Phi Kappa Phi national honor societies and the Outstanding Educators of America. He also served more than 25 years as TSU’s faculty athletics representative to the NCAA. |