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December 11, 2001

ULM Fall 2001 commencement speaker from Troy State University

Jack Hawkins, Jr., Ph.D., Chancellor of The Troy State University System will be the commencement speaker for the Fall 2001 Graduates of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The graduation ceremony begins at 2:00 p.m. in Fant-Ewing Coliseum this Saturday, December 15, 2001.

Dr. Jack Hawkins, Jr., a native of Mobile, Alabama, has been Chancellor of The Troy State University System since Sept. 1, 1989. He earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from the University of Montevallo and his doctorate from the University of Alabama.

After completing his bachelor' degree in 1967, Hawkins was commissioned a lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and served as a platoon leader during the Vietnam War. Hawkins' platoon served with the Republic of Korea Marine Corps in Vietnam. For his combat duty, he received the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, and a citation from the Korean Marine Corps.

Hawkins has been involved in Higher Education for many years. He served as an assistant dean at the University of Alabama at Birmingham from 1971-1979, and as president of the Alabama Institute for the Deaf and Blind in Talledega in 1979-1989.

In 1985, he was honored by the University of Montevallo as Distinguished Alumnus of the Year.

Hawkins stays involved with his community. He serves on the board of directors of the Better Business Bureau of Central Alabama, Troy Bank and Trust Company, and Edge Regional Medical Center. He is chairman of the Governor's Committee on Employment of the Disabled and serves on the Commission on Colleges, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In addition, he serves as Chairman of the Council of University Presidents in Alabama (1999-2001) and has served as a trustee of Talladega College, the Helen Keller Eye Research Foundation, President of the Southland Football League, and is a Trustee Emeritus of the American Foundation for the Blind. He is also a member of the Troy Rotary Club.

Hawkins is married to Janice and they have two daughters, Katie and Kelly. He and his family are members of the First Baptist Church of Troy.

The Troy State University System consists of the Main Campus in Troy, Troy State University Montgomery, Troy State University Dothan, and University College. Through University College, Troy State University offers programs on 50 military sites in 14 states and six foreign countries in six regions of the world. Combined, the TSU System serves 20, 000 students.

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