GREENSBORO, NC, April 21, 2009 - The University of North Carolina at Greensboro will present an honorary degree during commencement on Friday, May 15, to Nido Qubein, president of High Point University.
The 117th graduation exercises will begin at 10 a.m. in the Greensboro Coliseum with North Carolina Gov. Beverly Perdue as the commencement speaker. UNCG will recognize students who have completed degrees at the undergraduate, master's and doctoral levels.
Qubein was born in the Middle East in 1948 and came to America in 1966 with little knowledge of English and only $50 in his pocket. His life since has been a success story. As an educator, he has served as president of High Point University since 2005. His Qubein Foundation provides 48 scholarships annually, and to date has granted more than 600 scholarships, worth over $4 million. He has authored two dozen books and audio programs which are distributed worldwide. In business, he is chairman of Great Harvest Bread Company, and serves on the boards of several national organizations, including BB&T and La-Z-Boy Corp.
As a professional speaker, Qubein was named top business and commerce speaker by Toastmasters International, which also awarded him the Golden Gavel Medal. He is a member of the International Hall of Fame and is the founder of the National Speakers Foundation. His honors include the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, the Horatio Alger Award for Distinguished Americans, the Order of the Long Leaf Pine, honorary doctorates from all three of his alma maters including an honorary Doctor of Laws degree, the Ambassador of Free Enterprise from Sales and Marketing International, Citizen of the Year and Philanthropist of the Year in High Point. Qubein received the M.S.B.E. degree from UNCG's Bryan School of Business & Economics in 1973.
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