'The Dictates of Wisdom'-Themed Commencement Ceremony Also Honors
Walden Student and Faculty Award Winners
MINNEAPOLIS, July 27 /PRNewswire/ -- During commencement exercises this
weekend, members of Walden University's record-setting graduating class of
2004 helped commemorate the 150th anniversary of the publication of Walden,
the Henry David Thoreau classic that inspired the name of their university,
with its call "to love wisdom" and "to solve some of the problems of life, not
only theoretically, but practically."
During ceremonies broadcast live via the Internet, Walden University
recognized The Thoreau Society on the occasion of the book's sesquicentennial
anniversary, along with 2,064 graduating Walden University students who
received Ph.D., master's and bachelor's degrees during the past year from
Walden's schools of education, psychology, health and human services, and
management. This marked an all-time record for the number of degrees awarded
in a single year by the accredited, online university (see accompanying press
release for further details).
"Just as our founders were moved by the words of Henry David Thoreau to
name our institution Walden University, our students and graduates take their
lead from the author's belief that to be a thoughtful, focused and dedicated
citizen of the world is not just a worthy goal, but the only goal," said Paula
Peinovich, Ph.D., Walden University president and provost.
Walden University was so named by co-founder Dr. Harold Hodgkinson in a
1969 article, "Walden U: A Working Paper," in which he first presented his
vision for an alternative institution of higher education that recognized that
learning "does not occur in equal units, nor on certain days of the week, nor
at certain times of the day."
To mark the anniversary of Walden the book, and to honor the group that
promotes the Walden spirit, Dr. Peinovich presented a Walden University award
and proclamation to Tom Potter, a board member of The Thoreau Society.
Thoreau Society President Ronald A. Bosco, the distinguished service professor
of English and American literature at the University of Albany, State
University of New York, and an authority on authors Henry David Thoreau and
Ralph Waldo Emerson, then delivered a special commemorative address, "Culture
is Self- and Social-Reform: Henry David Thoreau at Walden."
Walden University students, alumni and faculty were also recognized and
honored during the 32nd annual commencement ceremonies for their outstanding
research, professional accomplishments and for upholding the ideals of the
university:
* Janet Pershing, with a Ph.D. in Administration/Management, received the
Harold L. Hodgkinson Award for meeting the highest university standards
of excellence in her dissertation, "Beliefs about the Appropriate
Degree of Directiveness in the Management Relationship, as Related to
Demographic Characteristics, Educational Background, and Organizational
Position," and Michael Hand, with a Ph.D. in Psychology, received the
Frank Dilley Award for meeting the highest university standards of
excellence in his dissertation, "Psychological Resilience: The
Influence of Positive and Negative Life Events Upon Optimism, Hope, and
Perceived Locus of Control."
* Ruth Maurer, Ph.D., and Augustine Baron, Psy.D., faculty chairs of the
dissertation committees of the Hodgkinson and Dilley award winners,
received the Bernard L. Turner and Rita Turner awards, respectively.
* Freida Pemberton, Ph.D. in Health Services from the class of 1996,
received the Outstanding Alumni Award for exemplifying the Walden
scholar-practitioner model and for making exceptional contributions to
her profession, discipline and community since graduation.
* Lilburn Hoehn, Ph.D., faculty member in the School of Management,
received the Extraordinary Faculty Award for exemplifying Walden
University's core values of quality, integrity and student-
centeredness.
"Walden University is proud of these fine award recipients, as we are of
all of our alumni, graduates, current students and faculty," added Dr.
Peinovich. "They are all members of a unique academic family with a shared
commitment to their professions and their communities. I'm confident Henry
David Thoreau would share our pride in them and in their many
accomplishments."
About Walden University
Since 1970, Walden University has offered busy professionals the
opportunity to earn advanced degrees through distance learning. Today, this
comprehensive, online university offers master's and doctoral degrees in
education, management, psychology, and health and human services, as well as
bachelor's degree completion programs in business. Through its applied-
research approach, led by distinguished faculty members, Walden prepares its
graduates to achieve professional excellence and serve their fields,
organizations and communities more effectively. Walden University is a
subsidiary of Laureate Education, Inc. (Nasdaq: LAUR). For more information,
visit http://www.waldenu.edu.
Walden University is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and is a
member of the North Central Association, located at 30 N. LaSalle Street,
Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602. The association is online at
http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org, and can be reached at
312-263-0456.
CONTACT: Maureen O'Brien of Laureate Education, Inc., +1-410-843-6637, or
maureen.obrien@laureate-inc.com, or Matthew Pugh, +1-410-727-6855, or
mpugh@stantoncomm.com, for Walden University
|
