NYU Professor Named Scholar-in-Residence for Upcoming Ph.D. Residency

George Shulman, Ph.D.

CINCINNATI, OH – Union Institute & University (UI&U), a private, non-profit university headquartered in Cincinnati today announced that George Shulman, Ph.D., professor at The Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University, will serve as the scholar-in-residence for the upcoming Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies residency held in Cincinnati January 2-10, 2012.

Shulman teaches and writes on political thought in Europe and the United States, as well as on Greek and Hebrew - tragic and biblical - traditions. His teaching and writing emphasize the role of narrative in culture and politics. He is the author of Radicalism and Reverence: Gerrard Winstanley and the English Revolution and American Prophecy: Race and Redemption in American Political Culture (2008). His most recent book, American Prophecy, was awarded the David Easton Prize in political theory. Focusing on the language that great American critics have used to engage the racial domination at the center of American history, American Prophecy explores the relationship of prophecy and race to American nationalism and democratic politics. Shulman is a recipient of the 2003 NYU Distinguished Teaching Award.

Shulman’s keynote, “Vernacular Theology: Race, Prophecy and Ideas of Redemption in American Politics" analyzes the underlying grammar and vernacular idioms of political speech in the United States, by focusing especially on the ways that critics have formulated their opposition to white supremacy and racial inequality. The central claim is that "prophetic" language is a vernacular theology in the wider culture and the crucial language of opposition to racial domination.

For more information about the upcoming Ph.D. residency please contact Nicole Hamilton, UI&U public relations manager, at nicole.hamilton@myunion.edu or at 513-487-1194.

California Commencement Honors Fallen Officer; Mayor Quan to Speak

Union will present a new graduate with the Sergeant Mark Dunakin Award for Extraordinary Achievement

SACRAMENTO, CA – Students from Union Institute & University’s (UI&U) Sacramento and Los Angeles Academic Centers will converge July 24th at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple in Sacramento to participate in the Union Institute & University California Commencement. The new graduates have earned undergraduate or graduate degrees from the private, non-profit university that, since 1964, has provided higher education opportunities for adult learners. The Honorable Mayor Jean Quan, the first woman and first Asian-American to be elected mayor of Oakland, will deliver the keynote address.

The commencement also marks the inauguration of the Mark Dunakin Award for Extraordinary Achievement, to be presented at the California Commencement each year to a law enforcement officer and graduate of the university’s Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice Management program. The award, given to an officer who represents the best in his or her field, was established in honor of Mark Dunakin, a sergeant with the Oakland Police Department and graduate of the Sacramento Academic Center’s CJM program, who was killed in the line of duty in Oakland in March of 2009.

Mayor Quan was elected to her current position after serving for eight years and two terms on Oakland's City Council. Throughout her public service career, she has championed several public safety initiatives. As a city council member she expanded neighborhood crime prevention programs, CORE (Citizens Organized to Respond to Emergencies) training, and added new services for sexually exploited minors and victims of domestic violence.

“As an advocate for public safety and higher education in Oakland and beyond, Mayor Quan’s participation at our California commencement is a testament to Sergeant Dunakin and the valuable work our students and alumni in California do every day to uplift and improve their neighborhoods and to keep residents safe,” said Dr. Roger H. Sublett, president of Union Institute & University. “Mayor Quan shares Union’s commitment to empowering lives and communities. We are deeply honored that she will serve as our commencement speaker.”

Union Institute & University’s California Commencement will begin at 11 a.m., July 24, at the Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, 6151 H Street, in Sacramento. For more information contact Nicole Hamilton, PR Manager, at Nicole.hamilton@myunion.edu, or at 513-487-1194.

Dr. Sylvia Manning, HLC President, to Deliver National Commencement Keynote

Dr. Sylvia Manning

CINCINNATI, OH – Union Institute & University (UI&U), a private non-profit university headquartered in
Cincinnati today announced that Dr. Sylvia Manning, president of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, will serve as the commencement speaker at UI&U’s National Commencement, Saturday, October 15, at the Cincinnati Hilton Netherland Plaza in downtown Cincinnati.

The Higher Learning Commission is one of six regional institutional accreditors and the oldest accrediting organization in the United States. Under the authority of the North Central Association (NCA), the HLC currently accredits degree-granting post-secondary educational institutions in 19 states and is officially recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council on Higher Education Accreditation for its commitment to promoting the highest standards in higher education.

Appointed by the HLC Board as president in 2008, Manning’s vision has been to strengthen participation of the Commission's institutional leaders in helping to create the voice of the Commission on issues of state, regional, and national importance. She is committed to keeping accreditation timely, relevant, and accountable for members of the public and, most importantly, for the students served by HLC accredited institutions.

“We are deeply honored that Dr. Manning will serve as Union’s national commencement speaker,” said Dr. Roger H. Sublett, president of Union Institute & University. “Her leadership of the Commission is paramount in the advancement of academic excellence in our country. Dr. Manning has been instrumental in providing stellar leadership during a time of change and challenges in higher education. Dr. Manning is ultimately committed to the student, ensuring that the institutions of higher learning provide high quality, innovative, and relevant education.”

Manning previously served the University of Illinois for 13 years, the last eight as Chancellor of the University of Illinois at Chicago. Prior to joining the University of Illinois in 1994 as Vice President of Academic Affairs, she served in a number of faculty and senior leadership roles at the University of Southern California and California State University, Hayward. She has served on regional accreditation teams for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and the Middle States Commission on Higher Education as well as for The Higher Learning Commission and as a public member for a specialized accrediting agency for degree programs in nursing.

Manning holds a Ph.D. and an M.A. from Yale University in English language and literature and a B.A. in English from McGill University.

For more information about UI&U’s National Commencement contact Nicole Hamilton, public relations manager at 513-487-1194 or at nicole.hamilton@myunion.edu.

May 15 Commencement Honors Florida Graduates

NORTH MIAMI BEACH – On May 15, Union Institute & University’s Florida Academic Center will honor new graduates who have earned undergraduate or graduate degrees from the private, non-profit university located in North Miami Beach. Louis Albert Jolivert, senior director at BNY Mellon Wealth Management and current chairman of the Miami Foundation’s Board of Governors, will serve as the commencement speaker. The university will also present UI&U board member and former president, Dr. George Pruitt, President of Thomas Edison State College, with an honorary doctorate degree.

Many of the Miami graduates are adults who have balanced work and family commitments with their efforts to fulfill their lifelong dream of earning a college degree. New graduate LaToya Williams, who immigrated to Miami from Jamaica in 2008, earned her BS in elementary education and is the first in her immediate family to graduate. “It has not been an easy road,” said Williams, whose parents are traveling from Jamaica to see her commence. “The classes were very challenging – but with the help and encouragement of Union’s faculty, I was able to succeed and to emerge feeling very empowered.”

Also taking part in this year’s commencement ceremony are two married couples who not only attended UI&U together, but who also work together: Jorge and Marie Guerra are both police officers in the Miami-Dade Police Department, and Yolanda and Willie Jones are officers for the City of Miami. “We supported one another and kept each other going when it got tough,” said Yolanda Jones, who, along with her husband and the Guerras’, earned her BS in criminal justice management.

Union chose Jolivert as commencement speaker for his commitment to service within the Miami community and within his profession. As a servant leader, Jolivert’s commitment to his community is reflected in his day-to-day involvement in its growth. “Miami is an up-and-coming city,” said Jolivert. “It’s experiencing a great deal of growth now, and I’d like to contribute to that, to make it an even better place for people to live. Whether through my work with the Miami Foundation or in other aspects of my life, I work to make this the city of choice, a community of choice.”

Union’s May 15 Florida Center Commencement will take place at 1 p.m., at the Miami Airport Hilton, 5101 Blue Lagoon Dr., Miami. For more information contact Angela Byles at angela.byles@myunion.edu or at 305-653-7141.

UI&U Brattleboro Graduates First Women's Empowerment Scholarship Recipient

BRATTLEBORO – On Sunday, May 1, students from Brattleboro and across New England will converge at UI&U’s Brattleboro Academic Center to take part in the university’s Bachelor of Arts Weekend Option commencement. Former UI&U BA core faculty member Rickey Gard Diamond, editor at Vermont Woman magazine, will serve as the guest speaker for the event.

As students in the weekend residency option, the new graduates met one weekend each month at the Brattleboro Center and completed the remainder of their coursework online. The option allowed the students – mostly working adults – to earn their degree while fulfilling job and family responsibilities. “Most of our commencers are adult learners who did not find satisfaction at traditional schools, but who flourished at Union, where they were able to do independent and self-designed study tailored to their needs,” said Sharon Sprague, BA program advisor.

Brattleboro resident Elizabeth Johnson, the first recipient of Brattleboro’s Women’s Empowerment Scholarship, will graduate. A single mother with a young son, Elizabeth pursued the program’s Historical, Social, and Cultural Studies concentration. The primary focus of her studies was the sociological study of the single-parent family. The Women’s Empowerment Scholarship that funds eligible single, female, heads-of-households, allowed her to finish ahead of schedule.

“I returned to school to complete my education so that I would be able to better provide for my son and myself,” said Johnson. “I realized that a degree would enable me to pursue a career and provide me with the time it takes to raise my son, without having to work extra hours just to get by.”

A hallmark of the Brattleboro commencement ceremony, the new graduates will be presented their diplomas by loved ones who helped and inspired them to complete their education. Johnson chose her young son to present her with her diploma.

An informational ‘visiting day’ will take place on Saturday, April 30, from 1-3 p.m. at the Brattleboro Center for those interested in learning more about the BA program. The Sunday commencement will begin at 11:45 a.m. Both events will be held at the UI&U Brattleboro Academic Center located at the Vermont Agricultural and Education Center on Old Guilford Road at 3 University Way. For more information about the Brattleboro degree programs and the B.A. commencement please contact the Brattleboro Academic Center at 802-257-9411 or email Brattleborocenter@myunion.edu.

David Gergen to Deliver Keynote Address at Union Institute & University's National Commencement

The senior political analyst for CNN and advisor to four U.S. presidents will host a talk, open to the public, September 28


CINCINNATI – Union Institute & University (UI&U) is honored to announce that David Gergen, one of the most important voices in leadership and U.S. politics and public policy, will deliver the keynote address at UI&U’s national commencement ceremony, Saturday, September 27, in the Hall of Mirrors at the Hilton Netherland, downtown. Union will also present Gergen with an honorary Doctorate in Letters for his work as a leader who puts country before politics.

Gergen is the director of the Center for Public Leadership at the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. He is the editor-at-large at U.S. News & World Report and is a senior political analyst for CNN. He also served in the White House for Presidents Nixon, Ford, and Reagan before agreeing to serve as counselor to President Clinton on both foreign policy and domestic affairs, and then as a special international advisor to the president and to Secretary of State Warren Christopher. Gergen also regularly serves as an analyst on radio shows, and he is a frequent lecturer at venues around the world. In the fall of 2000 he published a best-selling book titled, Eyewitness to Power: The Essence of Leadership, Nixon to Clinton.
Gergen was the editor of U.S. News for two-and-a-half years. While working to guide the magazine to record gains in circulation and advertising, he also teamed up with Mark Shields for political commentary every Friday night for five years on the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour. The two won numerous awards for their political coverage.

Currently, Gergen is actively covering the U.S. Presidential election for CNN, and he will again add his voice of expertise and experience to the political frontier when he reports on the upcoming presidential debates, the first of which will take place on September 26, a day before he visits Cincinnati.

Union will also host a Q&A with Gergen, titled Breakfast with David Gergen, from 9-11 a.m., Sunday, September 28, at UI&U, 440 East McMillan St., Walnut Hills. The event is open to the public, however, seating is limited and priority is given to journalism and political science students, who may preregister by calling Nicole Hamilton at 513-487-1194, or by emailing at Nicole.hamilton@tui.edu. This event is free. Coffee and bagels courtesy of Marx Hot Bagels.

Art Advocate to Speak at Union Institute & University's Los Angeles Commencement

Elizabeth A. Sackler will speak to graduates about new responsibilities and opportunities. Most who are graduating are working adults fulfilling a lifelong dream.

LOS ANGELES - Union Institute & University (UI&U) is honored to announce that Dr. Elizabeth Sackler, who spearheaded the Brooklyn Museum’s Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art, an exhibition and education facility dedicated to feminist art, will deliver this year’s keynote speech at UI&U’s California commencement, Sunday, August 10, at 11 am, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 West 8th Street, in Los Angeles.

Sackler, who earned her Ph.D. with a concentration in public history from UI&U in 1997, will speak to the graduates about new opportunities, options, and choices; and how these new opportunities yield more responsibility. “I know the Union graduates are prepared for this challenge, because of the rigors of the great education and also because Union learners have an innate desire and often burning motivation to improve their lives, to give to their communities, and to make things right in their world,” she said.

This burning motivation is something UI&U learner and so-to-be graduate Brenda Joyce Ervin-Morgan understands. The Compton resident never dreamed of going to college. Today, as she prepares to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in childhood development from UI&U on August 10, she is already setting her sites on her master’s and doctorate degrees. “My family told me I would never succeed if I went to school,” said Ervin-Morgan, the oldest of six children and herself the mother of eight children, including five who she adopted. “Union was very good to me. Their mission was to make sure that I took my education to the next level, and that, to me, is what a teacher is all about,” she said. “When they saw that I was struggling, they reached down, got me, carried me a bit, and helped me to stand up on my own two feet.”

Sackler is the president and CEO of the Arthur M. Sackler Foundation and founding president of the American Indian Ritual Object Repatriation Foundation. The Elizabeth A. Sackler Center for Feminist Art at the Brooklyn Museum opened to international acclaim in 2007. Its mission is to raise awareness of feminism’s cultural contributions; to educate new generations about the meaning of feminist art; to maintain a dynamic and welcoming learning facility; and to present feminism in an approachable and relevant way.

The commencement will be at 11 am, at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre, 4401 West 8th Street, in Los Angeles. A reception will follow at The Ebell of Los Angeles, 743 South Lucerne Blvd., Los Angeles. Space is limited. Registration is required. To register contact: Zayda Rodriguez: 800-486-8328, ext. 1700, or zayda.rodriguez@tui.edu.