Founder's Day Convocation

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE STATE REPRESENTATIVE TO ADDRESS FOUNDER'S DAY CONVOCATION

Local public servant Patrick Jefferson speaks at 11 a.m. Tuesday, September 23. He has always had a heart and passion to serve humanity. A native of Arcadia, Louisiana Patrick O'Neal Jefferson will speak on Sept. 23 at 11 a.m. in the T.H. Harris Auditorium. He served as Senator Russell B. Long's last Senate page in the United States Senate while in high school. After returning from Washington, Patrick's drive and thirst to serve crystallized and later that year, he graduated as class Valedictorian of Arcadia High School. He then matriculated at Dillard University of New Orleans, and graduated Summa Cum Laude and Class Valedictorian with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English. At Dillard University, he received the Samuel Dubois Cook-Benjamin E. Mays Award, the highest university honor; the Division of Humanities Top Scholar Award; the Wall Street Journal Award; the Religious Heritage Award, the Alpha Phi Alpha, Inc. Regional Award, and he was a Rhodes Scholar Semi Finalist. He received his Juris Doctorate Degree from The Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. He was a Moot Court Finalist, a Dorothy Danforth Compton Scholar, a Summer Fellow at Somerville College in Oxford, England, and the first African American to serve as an Alexander Van Humboldt Fellow which allowed him the opportunity to serve as a guest of the Federal Republic of Germany. In October of 2011, Patrick was elected to the Louisiana House of Representative and represents District 11 which includes Bienville, Claiborne and part of Lincoln Parish. He serves as Vice Chair of the House Education committee and also serves on the Civil law & Procedures and Judiciary Committees. He is an executive board member for the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus and serves as Chaplin. Jefferson was appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representative to serve on the Commission of Civic Education and was recently named an Early Learning Fellow by the National Conference of State Legislatures. Other scheduled public events for Founder's Week include: The official opening of Founder's Week will start at "The Founder's Bust" of Charles P. Adams with a short ceremony at the east side of Lee Hall at 7:30 a.m. Monday (Sept. 22).  Annual Founder's Week Fellowship Breakfast, scheduled for 8 a.m. until 10 a.m. Monday (September 22) in the Black and Gold Room at the Favrot Student Union. ? Founder?s Week Tours and Departmental and Organizational Exhibits throughout the week in the Atrium of the Black & Gold Room. # # # About Grambling State University Grambling State University, located in Grambling, Louisiana, is a historically black university founded in 1901. The University has been accredited by 13 accrediting associations and holds accreditations in all programs required by the Louisiana Board of Regents. The 590-acre campus offers 50 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Grambling State University is a member of the University of Louisiana System.