Posted on Friday, May 15, 2020
2018 commencement speaker Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson receives her honorary doctorate hood.
The Board of Trustees has voted to bestow honorary doctorates on civic leader Dr. Robert Tucker of LaGrange and Atlanta businessman Jerry Wilkinson.
The awards are traditionally presented during Commencement every May; however, they will be endowed during the rescheduled graduation ceremonies on Oct. 17 during Homecoming weekend.
Dr. Tucker was born in LaGrange in 1942 as the eighth of 13 children. He attended public schools in LaGrange and graduated from East Depot High School in 1960. After graduation, he enrolled at Morehouse College where he earned a degree in mathematics. Upon graduation, he worked briefly for Lockheed Georgia Corp. in aircraft design and construction before making a career change.
He became an educator and worked for 40 years in the DeKalb County School Systems. Starting as a classroom teacher, he became a school principal and eventually associate superintendent for human resources. Meanwhile, he earned three additional degrees from Clark Atlanta University, including a doctorate in educational leadership.
Dr. Tucker returned to LaGrange in 2012 and became the driving force behind the Calumet Park Neighborhood Association. In 2016, the group worked with the Georgia Conservancy to draw up plans for the revitalization of Calumet Village.
Those projects included upgrading Calumet Park, improving general safety and street safety, providing job training, focusing on education from the pre-K level to two years after high school and improving housing within the community.
Dr. Tucker has reached out to partner with city groups and organizations in strategic ways to benefit LaGrange and Troup County as a whole.
He has enlisted the help of LaGrange College students in neighborhood projects over the years and has worked closely with the City of LaGrange and the Troup County School System. He also serves on the board of DASH (Dependable Affordable Sustainable Housing) for LaGrange.
Wilkinson is a nationally known businessman who is recognized as a philanthropist and a leader in the field of real estate.
He received a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Duke University and a master’s in finance from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He also did post-graduate work at Harvard University.
Wilkinson is the founder and chairman of Wilkinson Companies, a privately held real estate investment, management and construction firm. He has directed the operations and growth of the Wilkinson Companies and its subsidiaries for more than 30 years.
He has served as president of the Atlanta Apartment Association, Georgia Apartment Association and the National Apartment Association. He is one of only 20 people in the past 80 years who have been inducted into the NAA Hall of Fame.
His writings have appeared in national publications and he is a guest lecturer at various organizations and schools.
Wilkinson serves on the board of directors for the Atlanta Community Food Bank, the Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta, Saint Joseph Hospital, Apartment Life Inc., Duke University School of Engineering and LaGrange College.
In 2017, the LaGrange College Servant Scholars program was named the Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars Program to honor Wilkinson and his family for their support of the institution. He was named an LC Honorary Alumnus in the fall of 2019.
He and his wife, Beverly, have three daughters and seven grandchildren and split their time between Atlanta and Amelia Island, Florida.
Be sure to tune in tonight (Friday) at 5 p.m. on the college’s Facebook page to join the Rev. Dr. Adam Roberts in a 2020 Baccalaureate Watch Party. The event will include special guests, a virtual musical offering and an inspirational message from the Rev. Dan Brown ’76, senior pastor of Dunwoody United Methodist Church. The ceremony will be available for viewing at 5 p.m. today on the college’s YouTube channel.
Visit the Class of 2020 gallery Saturday morning for a special message from Waights G. Henry Jr. Leadership Award winner Coral Douglas ’20 and to view photos, videos and remembrances from the Class of 2020. Well done, seniors! See you in October for commencement.
The Wilkinson Family Servant Scholars program was featured in the April edition of Connected magazine, a publication of the Division of Higher Education of the United Methodist Church.
The new officers for the 2020-21 Student Government Association are Porter Law, president (supports executive council and campus committees; Emma Smith, vice president (supports Student Senate); Morgan Grant, treasurer (supports clubs and organizations); and Nia Johnson, secretary (supports executive council and senate).
Hannah Frady has been named Troup County’s teacher of the year. In one of her essays, she talked about a favorite teaching moment that focused on a National History Day project, where her students research an aspect of history corresponding to the theme, “Breaking Barriers.” She connected with LaGrange College so students could use Lewis Library and learn research skills. NHD Georgia is co-sponsored by LaGrange College and Georgia Humanities. Runners-up to Teacher of the Year are LC grads Jill Kemp ’90 and Courtney Agurs M’17.
Men’s Basketball
Coach Kendal Wallace announced the 2019-20 team awards on Tuesday. Those honored include (top left) Lincoln Anderson, Glenn Simpson Academic Award; Drew Shepherd, Hiram Reeves Dedication Award; Ronald Youngblood, Al Mariotti Leadership Award; (bottom left) Porter Law, Cecil Major Defensive Award; Kyle Brown, Nick Mitchell Most Improved Player Award; and Julian Cameron, Delma Fowler Team Most Valuable Player Award.
As we look forward to Commencement 2020 this fall, we look back at last year’s opening processional and choral selection.
Anderson thriving at LaGrange College – LaGrange Daily News, May 12, 2020
Panthers look for bounce-back season – LaGrange Daily News, May 12, 2020
Category: Students, Faculty, College, Events, Community, Academics
Keywords: commencement baccalaureate honorary doctorate
