Northampton Community College
Kutztown University President to be NCC Spring Commencement Speaker
Bethlehem, PA (04/25/2019) — Dr. Kenneth S. Hawkinson, president of Kutztown University (KU), will be the Northampton Community College (NCC) spring 2019 commencement speaker. The ceremony takes place on Thursday, May 23, at 6:30 p.m. at the Arthur L. Spartan Center, Bethlehem Campus.
A community college graduate who went on to earn bachelor and master of arts degrees from Western Illinois University and a Ph.D. from Southern Illinois University, Dr. Hawkinson was named president of Kutztown University in 2015.
Under his leadership, KU has established 53 initiatives focusing on areas such as academic excellence, enrollment management and student success, and expanding educational opportunity and access.
Accomplishments since his arrival include the completion of a new strategic plan for the university, a new marketing plan or "branding" of the university, an increase in academic standards and an increase in the academic profile of its students, the establishment of numerous advisory committees to enhance his commitment to shared governance, and a significant increase in fundraising. Hawkinson's community outreach efforts have included the establishment of "Walks with Wynnie," weekly campus walks featuring the Hawkinsons' family dog.
Hawkinson was in the U.S. Army for three years. After serving in the Illinois National Guard as a field artillery officer and executive officer for a field artillery battery, he was called to active duty as an infantry officer. He served in Germany as a platoon leader and a weapons platoon leader, and as a public affairs officer. He also served for two years as a volunteer in the Peace Corps in Mali, West Africa. As a Fulbright Scholar from 1990-91, he taught American studies at the University of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, West Africa, and conducted research in African folklore and oral tradition.
A native of Carpentersville, Ill., Hawkinson is married to the former Ann Marie Hayes. His son, Jivan Deglise-Favre-Hawkinson, recently completed his doctoral studies in engineering at the University of Michigan.
Kutztown University is one of the top transfer schools for NCC students. KU and NCC have several transfer and articulation agreements in place that help Northampton students transfer credits seamlessly to Kutztown.
About Northampton Community College
With an enduring commitment to the regional community it serves and a focus on student success, Northampton Community College has developed a reputation as an institution of extraordinary distinction, earning accolades at the state and national levels for innovative programs, outstanding faculty and impressive student achievements. It counts among its successful alumni a four-time Pulitzer Prize winner and an Academy Award winning director as well as a host of CEOs, presidents, and leaders of business and industry. Today, Northampton Community College has locations in Bethlehem, Southside Bethlehem, Easton, and Monroe County, serving 30,000 students each year from 53 counties, 42 countries and 25 states. For more information, or to apply, please visit www.northampton.edu. Follow NCC on Twitter @NorthamptonComm and like NCC on Facebook at Northampton Community College.
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Northampton Community College
Katherine Noll (610) 861-5336,knoll@northampton.eduShare this Story
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