News Headlines Thiel College   Betsy Hildebrand Director of Public Relations 75 College Avenue Greenville, PA 16125 Phone: 724-589-2855 FAX: 724-589-2856 bhildebrand@thiel.edu 1-800-24-THIEL Press Release DR. RYAN LaHURD, PRESIDENT OF NEAR EAST FOUNDATION, WILL GIVE ADDRESS AT THIEL HONORS CONVOCATION For immediate release October 14, 2005 GREENVILLE, PA - Dr. Ryan LaHurd, formerly of Greenville and president and CEO of the Near East Foundation in New York City, will be the keynote speaker at Thiel College's annual academic honors convocation at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 in the William A. Passavant Memorial Center. LaHurd, who was professor of English for eight years at Thiel College, will provide the address "The Real Truth Behind this Honors Convocation." Two hundred and seventy-nine students - including scholarship recipients, academic honorary members and dean's list honorees - will be recognized for their academic achievements earned during the 2003-2004 academic year. Freshmen scholarship recipients also will be announced. The Near East Foundation, founded in 1915, works in partnership with people in the Middle East and Africa to help them acquire skills and resources to build the better future they envision for themselves. LaHurd joined the foundation as executive director in July 2002 after eight years as president of Lenoir-Rhyne College in Hickory, N.C. He was a professor of English and department administrator at DeSales University in Center Valley, Pa., and then at Thiel College. He moved to Minneapolis in July 1985 as vice president for academic affairs and dean of Augsburg College, a position he held until going to Lenoir-Rhyne College in 1994. Born in Akron, Ohio, LaHurd holds three degrees in English language and literature: a bachelor's from Mt. Carmel College, a master's from the University of Chicago, and a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin - Madison. He has done post-graduate work at Harvard University and Rensselaer Polytechnic. LaHurd has been the recipient of three Fulbright Fellowships: In 1981-1982 he taught American literature and culture at the University of Damascus, Syria; in 1989 he was part of a group studying higher education in Germany; and in 1992-1993 he taught American literature and conducted research at the University of Sana'a, Yemen. The author of numerous publications on higher education, literature, Middle East and teaching, LaHurd is a frequent speaker and writer on matters related to the politics, history, and culture of the Middle East. For five years he wrote a regular column for The Charlotte (NC) Observer. He holds positions in a number of organizations including the Middle East Advisory Committee of the Fulbright Commission. He was vice president of the North Carolina Association of Colleges and Universities and chair of the Council of College Presidents of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America .