May 11, 1998
CONTACT: Shirley Hulett, (619) 594-2585
SDSU Commencements To Recognize Three With Honorary Degrees
Communication -- on a personal and global level -- is a focus shared by entertainer Art Linkletter, educator Dr. Vahac Mardirosian, and business executive Arthur R. Barron. Each will receive honorary doctor of humane letters degrees from the California State University system in separate San Diego State University commencement ceremonies, May 23 and 24.
The Rev. Mardirosian, a Solana Beach resident who has spent more than 40 years working with low-income parents in California to improve their children’s access to higher education, will be honored by the College of Education, May 23. Ceremonies begin at 10 a.m. in the Open Air Theater on campus.
Barron graduated from SDSU in 1960 with a bachelor’s degree in accounting and moved up through the ranks of the film industry to become chairman of Time Warner International. In addition to being a leader in the world of international communications, Barron is being honored by the College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts for his continuing dedication and leadership to the International Center for Communications. PSFA will observe commencement at 8 a.m., May 24, in Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl, on campus.
SDSU alumnus Linkletter majored in English and psychology, and received his bachelor’s degree in 1934. During his senior year, he worked at KGB radio and began a show-business career which has spanned 65 years. He will be honored by the College of Health and Human Services in recognition of his lifetime of dedication to public causes which benefit children and the elderly.
Linkletter will also give the commencement address for the College of Health and Human Services. The event will be at 12 noon, May 24, in Cox Arena at Aztec Bowl, on campus. In 1997, the college presented the popular TV personality with the first Art Linkletter Award for Humanitarian Services in recognition of his inter-generational work.
All commencement ceremonies will be broadcast live, May 23 and 24, on Cox Cable, channel 24; Cox Cable North, channel 18, and Southwestern Cable, channel 16. Ceremonies will also be aired on closed-circuit television in the Don Powell Theatre. The theatre will be open to all visitors. Mardirosian Empowered 100,000 Parents Mardirosian is the founder and executive director of the Parent Institute for Quality Education, a statewide program which has empowered more than 100,000 low-income and limited-English-speaking parents to be teachers of their children. The program, founded in 1987, serves 28 school districts and 600 schools and recently moved its corporate offices to San Diego. A native of Syria, he was raised in Tijuana, Mexico. He immigrated to the United States as a teenager and became a naturalized American citizen in 1950. He holds a bachelor’s degree in theology from Spanish American Seminary, Los Angeles; a bachelor’s degree in education from California State University, Los Angeles; and a doctorate of humane letters from American Baptist Seminary of the West, Berkeley.
The Rev. Madirosian was founder and executive director of the Hispanic Urban Center in Los Angeles, the first program to provide teacher in-service training about the culture and heritage of Mexican Americans. He founded the ABC Project Head Start Program under the American Baptist Churches and was director of Hispanic ministries of the American Baptist Churches of the Pacific Southwest. He has served as pastor of Baptist churches in San Diego; Los Angeles; Chicago; and Topika, Kansas.
Barron Enthusiastically Supports SDSU At SDSU, Barron distinguished himself as a top scholar. He went on to become vice president and general sales manager for Desilu Productions, and held top executive positions with Paramount. He opted for an early retirement in 1989, but was quickly lured back to the business world by an offer from Time Warner.
Barron retired from Time Warner, Inc., in 1995 after serving as chairman of Time Warner International, a corporate unit charged with strategic development outside the U.S. and with developing new business ventures, partnerships, acquisitions and investments in the international media and entertainment industries. He also served as chairman of Time Warner Enterprises, a strategic and business development unit of Time Warner, Inc.
Barron and his wife, Joan, are unwavering supporters of the International Center for Communications both in monetary contributions and personal donations of time and expertise. Those in the know describe him as, "citizen soldier committed to building a better society."
Linkletter Has Wide-Ranging Interests After graduating from SDSU, Linkletter worked in both radio and promotions. He went on to host two of the longest- running shows in radio and Television history: "People Are Funny" which ran on NBC-TV and CBS-Radio for 19 years, and the Emmy-Wining "House Party," which ran on CBS -TV and Radio for 26 years. In addition, he starred in and co-produced many spectaculars and specials, as well as acted in a half dozen dramatic shows and several major motion pictures.
He is well-known as a businessman and has served on the boards of directors of major corporations and major charities. Linkletter is currently an author and entrepreneur with wide-ranging business interests.
As chairman of the board of Linkletter Enterprises, he oversees enterprises involved in the building and management of public store houses, office buildings, cow-calf operations, real estate development, cattle and sheep stations in Australia, and various oil enterprises around the world. He has written 23 books. His latest, "Old Age is Not For Sissies," joins his earlier work, "Kids Say the Darndest Things," as one of the nation’s best-sellers.
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Shirley J. Hulett
University Communications
Phone: (619) 594-2585 FAX: (619) 594-5956
http://tns.sdsu.edu/~unicom/