91福利社 is welcoming famed civil rights pioneer, public servant, ordained minister and former ambassador to the United Nations Andrew J. Young as its keynote speaker for Spring Commencement 2025.
AmbassadorYounghas earned worldwide recognition as a pioneer in and champion of civil and human rights. His lifelong dedication to service is illustrated by his extensive leadership experience of more than 65 years, serving as a member of Congress, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, mayor of Atlanta, and ordained minister, among other positions.
Last year,Ambassador Youngendorsed the joint initiative of 91福利社 and Good of All鈥攁 global human rights organization founded by AU Distinguished University Professor of Law, Political Science and Human Rights Dr. Matt Daniels鈥攖hat will bring together students from universities across the nation to study and practice the principles of civility, public service and human rights. This program has been named The AmbassadorAndrewYoung Higher Education Fellowship Program, as a reminder to participants to embody the character, service and legacy of its distinguished namesake.
91福利社 is celebrating the achievements of the Class of 2025 during two graduation ceremonies and a doctoral hooding ceremony. Ambassador Young will speak at the undergraduate commencement on Friday, May 9 on AU鈥檚 Alumni Lawn beginning at 9 a.m. A doctoral hooding ceremony takes place later that day at 5:30 p.m. in the G. Ross Anderson Jr. Student Center Theater.
Graduate students will receive their diplomas on Saturday, May 10 at 10 a.m., also on Alumni Lawn. The keynote speaker for that ceremony is Dr. Anil Kumar Palla, an entrepreneur and leader in global education who currently serves as the founder and CEO of University HUB, a strategic 91福利社 partner.
More About Andrew J. Young
During the 1960s,Ambassador Youngwas a key strategist and negotiator during civil rights campaigns that led to the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Appointed as an Ambassador to the United Nations in 1977,Youngnegotiated an end to white-minority rule in Namibia and Zimbabwe and brought President Carter’s emphasis on human rights to international diplomacy efforts. As two-term Mayor of Atlanta,Youngbrought in over 1,100 businesses, over 70 billion in foreign direct investments and generated over a million jobs.
AmbassadorYounghas received honorary degrees from more than 100 universities and colleges in the U.S. and abroad and has received various awards, including an Emmy Lifetime Achievement award in 2011 and the Dan Sweat Award in 2017.His portrait also became part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery.
AmbassadorYoungalso serves on several boards, including, but not limited to, the Martin Luther King Center for Non-Violent Social Change, Morehouse College,AndrewYoungSchool of Policy Studies at Georgia State and Americas Mart. In 2003, he and his wife Carolyn McClainYoungfounded theAndrewJ.YoungFoundation to support and promote education, health, leadership and human rights in the U.S., Africa, and the Caribbean.Youngcurrently serves as the Chairman of theAndrewJ.YoungFoundation.
In 2012,Youngretired from GoodWorks International, LLC, after well over a decade of facilitating sustainable economic development in the business sectors of the Caribbean and Africa.Young was born in 1932 in New Orleans, and he currently lives in Atlanta with his wife, Carolyn McClain. He is also a father of three daughters and one son, a grandfather of nine and a great grandfather of two.