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| MOTOWN'S
SMOKEY ROBINSON RECEIVES DOCTOR OF MUSIC AWARD FROM HOWARD UNIVERSITY Robinson
Lauds Educators and Urges Graduates to Pursue their Dreams Washington D.C., (May 15, 2006) - Legendary Motown singer/songwriter Smokey Robinson received a Doctor of Music, honoris causa from Howard University at its 138th Commencement Convocation on Saturday, May 13. 'If it were left up to me, teachers would be the highest paid people in the world.Some of them take their lives into their own hands when they go into the schools where they teach our children everyday,' Robinson said. To the graduates he said, 'My mother always told me, whether your task is large or small do it well or not at all.I say to all you young people, go out and be what you aspire to be.' Dr. Robinson's achievements include 36 Top 40 hits, a Grammy Living Legend Award, induction into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame, and the National Medal of Arts Award-the highest honor an artist can receive from the President of the United States. He joins several prominent entertainers who have received honorary degrees from Howard University. Previous honorees include: Duke Ellington, 1971; Ella Fitzgerald, 1980; Quincy Jones, 1985; and Wynton Marsalis, 1997; and Harry Belafonte, 2001. Congressman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), now in his sixth term, delivered the keynote address. He encouraged graduates not to forget those who came before them. 'This (graduation achievement) is not about you; it is bigger than you,' Cummings said. 'You stand on the shoulders of your parents, grandparents and others in your bloodline.To whom much is given much is required.' Among the over 2,300 graduates were two recipients of the 2006-2007 Fulbright Scholarship, Maxine Moffett and Naeesa S. Aziz; a fourth generation Howard graduate Catherine Thornton whose great-grandfather graduated in 1881, and Michael Simzak, an Operation Iraqi Freedom veteran. Howard University conferred three additional honorary degrees to a diverse group of leaders from academia, sciences and labor affairs. Among them were Shirley Ann Jackson, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute president, Doctor of Science; Dr. Floretta Dukes McKenzie, founder and chairwoman of The McKenzie Group, Inc. and chairwoman of the Howard University Board of Trustees, Doctor of Humane Letters; Mr. William 'Bill' Lucy, international secretary-treasurer, American Federation of State, County, & Municipal Employees, Doctor of Humanities. About Howard University Howard University is one of 48 U.S. private, Doctoral/Research-Extensive universities and comprises 12 schools and colleges. Founded in 1867, students pursue studies in more than 120 areas leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. Since 1998, the University has produced two Rhodes Scholars, a Truman Scholar, 13 Fulbright Scholars and nine Pickering Fellows. Howard also produces more on-campus African-American Ph.D.s than any other university in the world. For more information on Howard University, call 202-238-2330, or visit the University's Web site at www.Howard.edu.
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