Administration

Communications

Abraham Lincoln expert to give C-SC commencement address
Wednesday, April 13, 2011

CANTON, Mo. – Harold Holzer, one of the country’s leading authorities on Abraham Lincoln and political culture during the Civil War era, will be the keynote speaker during the 2011 Culver-Stockton College Commencement Ceremony. The ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, May 21, 2011 at 9:30 a.m. on the campus of Culver-Stockton.

Holzer is a noted writer, lecturer and frequent guest on television. In 2000, he was appointed by President Bill Clinton to serve on the United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission. He served as co-chair of the commission from 2001-2010. For his work with the commission, Holzer was honored by President George W. Bush with the National Humanities Medal in 2008. The United States Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Commission is now known as the Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, and Holzer currently serves as chairman of that organization. Throughout his career, Holzer has authored, co-authored or edited 36 books. In addition, he has written some 450 articles for magazines and scholarly journals. Holzer is also a frequent guest on televisions programs, including C-SPAN’s The Washington Journal, Lincoln presented by the History Channel and The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, among others.

“We are extremely excited and proud to have such a prolific author and lecturer as our keynote speaker for the 2011 Commencement Ceremony,” said Culver-Stockton President Richard Valentine. “Mr. Holzer will, no doubt, offer our young graduates an engaging and inspiring perspective on the past, as well as the future; as they prepare to end their college careers and enter the world of working professionals. I would also like to express my gratitude to Culver-Stockton board of trustees member and former Quincy [Illinois] Mayor Chuck Scholz, who was instrumental in coordinating Mr. Holzer’s visit to our fine old college,” Valentine continued.

“Through my service as secretary of the Lincoln Bicentennial Foundation, I have had the opportunity to observe Harold’s leadership skills first-hand,” explains C-SC Board of Trustees member Chuck Scholz. “I think he has done as much as anyone in this nation to preserve Lincoln’s legacy, especially from an educational stand-point. As a historian, his body of work on Lincoln is virtually unprecedented. His book Lincoln at Cooper Union [: The Speech That Made Abraham Lincoln President] is one of the best ever written on Lincoln and political life in the mid-19th century. I am very grateful that he has accepted our invitation to speak at Culver-Stockton, and I look forward to his address.”

The Culver-Stockton College Commencement Ceremony will take place on the lawn of the Quadrangle (adjacent to Henderson Hall). In case of inclement weather, the ceremony will be held in the Joe Charles Field House. Seating will begin at 7:30 a.m. on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not required for commencement. Additional information about the commencement ceremonies for graduates and guests is available at www.culver.edu/commencement, or by contacting the Registrar’s Office at (573) 288-6330 or registrar@culver.edu. Additional information about keynote speaker Harold Holzer can be found at www.haroldholzer.com.