Dr. Tony Atwater, IUP president, has been selected for the 2009 New Pittsburgh Courier's “Men of Excellence” recognition.
Atwater is one of fifty people named to the listing. He was selected in the education category.
“I am sincerely honored to receive this prestigious award,” Atwater said. “I have been blessed to enjoy success as a journalist, as a university professor, and as a university president, and I take pride in serving my community and in facilitating the success of others.”
The program, now in its second year, recognizes African-American male executives, business owners, and community leaders who have displayed proven success within their profession, are positive role models whose contributions encourage others, and are active in community service or organizational involvement.
Recipients will be formally recognized at an event November 19, 2009, at 6:00 p.m. at the Rivers Club, Pittsburgh.
Atwater joins Davie Huddleston, a 1968 IUP graduate, as a recipient of the Men of Excellence recognition. Huddleston serves as vice president, Human Resources, College Relations of PNC Financial Services Group.
Other 2009 recipients include former Steelers running back Charles Sanders, owner of Urban Settlement Services; Common Pleas Judge Joe Williams; and Robert Allen Jr., a reporter for KDKA-TV.
Last year's recipients included Dr. Christopher Allen, cardiologist at UPMC Shadyside Hospital and professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh; former Pittsburgh Steelers running back Franco Harris; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin; George Miles, president and CEO of WQED Multimedia; and Bill Strickland, president and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation and its subsidiaries, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild and Bidwell Training Center in Pittsburgh.
Strickland is also the author of IUP's 2009 Common Freshman Reader, Make the Impossible Possible, and will speak at IUP about his book on November 17 at 7:00 p.m. in Fisher Auditorium.
Atwater became IUP's twenty-fourth president in February 2005. Before coming to IUP, Atwater served as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Youngstown State University.
Atwater earned a Ph.D. in communication research from Michigan State University, where he was the recipient of a competitive doctoral fellowship. He completed postdoctoral study in the department of communications at the University of Michigan.
Atwater is a Ford Foundation postdoctoral fellow. The focus of his research was news selection behavior in the mass media.
During his tenure at IUP, Atwater has assumed several leadership roles. He was appointed in 2007 by Governor Ed Rendell to serve as a member of the Pennsylvania Tuition Account Program Advisory Board and was selected to serve on the International Student Exchange Program Board of Directors and the American Council on Education's Commission on Lifelong Learning, a post he held from 2006 to 2009.
He is a member of the Economics Pennsylvania Board of Directors, the Urban League of Greater Pittsburgh Board of Directors, Indiana County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, the Greater Indiana Revitalization Steering Committee, and the board of the Indiana County Tourist Bureau. He also is an advisory member of the Indiana County KIZ Partnership Board. A member of the Rotary Club of Indiana, he is a Paul Harris fellow.
In March 2009, Atwater was selected by Pennsylvania Business Central as one of the “Top 100 Business Leaders in Pennsylvania.” In April 2009, he was selected for the Commander's Award for Public Service, one of the highest civilian service awards given by the United States Army.