Clarksville, Ark. --- University of the Ozarks is expected to award bachelor degrees to approximately 25 graduates during its 2010 Fall Commencement ceremony, scheduled for 4 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 15, in Munger Memorial Chapel.
James L. "Skip" Rutherford of Little Rock will speak at the Fall 2010 commencement ceremony.
The Commencement speaker will be James L. “Skip” Rutherford of Little Rock, who has served as the dean of the University of Arkansas’ Clinton School of Public Service since 2006. Prior to joining the Clinton School, Rutherford served as executive vice president of Cranford Johnson Robinson Woods (CJRW), one of the region’s largest communications firms. In addition, he served as chairman of the board of the William J. Clinton Foundation from 1997-2006. From 1997 until it opened in 2004, Rutherford also supervised the planning for the Clinton Presidential Library. He is a former administrative assistant to U.S. Sen. David Pryor (D-Ark.) and has been active in numerous campaigns and initiatives at the local, state and federal levels.
A 1972 journalism graduate from the University of Arkansas, Rutherford received the U of A Journalism Department’s first Distinguished Alumnus Award. He has been a visiting professor at several universities throughout the state, including at Ozarks where he served as an adjunct instructor in the Business, Communications and Government Division in 2005. He is the founder and organizer of the Political Animals Club, a non-partisan grassroots organization of community leaders and activists who meet regularly to discuss politics and issues.
Topics: Community Events