MISENHEIMER — Dr. Myles Brand, the fourth president and chief executive officer of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), will serve as keynote speaker during the May 2008 commencement at Pfeiffer University.

The ceremony will begin at 10:30 a.m. May 10 in the Merner Gymnasium on the Misenheimer campus. Degrees will be conferred upon approximately 160 students who are eligible to graduate.

"It is a privilege and an honor to have Dr. Brand as this year's commencement speaker," said Pfeiffer President Chuck Ambrose. "His amazing experience, leadership and service complement the mission and purpose of Pfeiffer. The university community, especially our students, will leave with an inspirational message that focuses on them and the value of their academic experience."

Termed by some the "education president," Brand has presided over passage of the most comprehensive academic reform package for intercollegiate athletics in recent history — a package that refocuses the attention of student-athletes, coaches and administrators on the education of student-athletes.

Brand has also changed the national dialogue on college sports to emphasize the educational value of athletics participation and the integration of intercollegiate athletics with the academic mission of higher education. His tenure has helped re-establish the indispensable role of university presidents in the governance of college sports.

Brand was himself president of two major universities. He served for eight years at Indiana University, an eight-campus institution with nearly 100,000 students, 17,000 employees and a budget of $3.4 billion. He spent five years as president at the University of Oregon.

Brand earned a bachelor's degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, N.Y., and his Ph.D. from the University of Rochester in 1967.

Commencement parking in front of the gymnasium is reserved for those with a physical disability and senior citizens. For more information, contact Dr. Jim Gulledge, coordinator of academic ceremonies, at 704-463-3366 or jim.gulledge@pfeiffer.edu.

Pfeiffer will hold its commencement for graduates who will have earned degrees from the Adult and Graduate Studies programs on Aug. 2.

For more information, visit Pfeiffer online at www.pfeiffer.edu.

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