Date: January 28, 2007
Contact: Lindsay Gladstone
Governors State University
Phone: (708) 534-7090
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: l-gladstone@govst.edu
For Immediate Release
University Park, IL, January 28, 2007 - At the Winter Commencement ceremony in February, Governors State University will bestow the honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa), on Juan Andrade, Jr. of Chicago. Andrade has worked tirelessly promoting civic participation and leadership development. He has stived to further educational opportunities, expand voter registration, and serve the nation’s Latino community.
Andrade’s life and career has been an inspiration. From his work as a youth in Brownwood, Texas delivering newspapers, picking cotton, hoeing cabbage, peanuts, and watermelon, and later as a factory worker, he rose to become co-founder and president of the United States Hispanic Leadership Institute.
He received the Presidential Citizens Medal from President Bill Clinton in 2001. Andrade is a fervent believer in education and holds five university degrees. Andrade was a political commentator for ABC-7 in Chicago as well as WGN radio. He also wrote a weekly column for the Chicago Sun-Times.
For years, Andrade has worked in the democratization of Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Colombia, Paraguay, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and Haiti. He has been recognized three times as one of the “100 Most Influential Hispanics in America” by Hispanic Business Magazine and has received numerous awards for lifetime achievement and community service.
GSU Commencement will take place on Saturday, February 16, at 11 a.m., at the Tinley Park Convention Center. More than 600 undergraduate and graduate students will earn their bachelor’s and master’s degrees from 5 different colleges and in 48 different degree programs. GSU conducts two graduation ceremonies per year.
