June 13, 2011
Dr. William Perry will address the graduates of John F. Kennedy University at commencement exercises to take place at the Paramount Theater in Oakland on June 18th. In recognition of his achievements and civic contributions, the Board of Trustees has unanimously approved the conferral of a Doctorate of Humane Letters upon Dr. Perry.
Dr. Perry was the 19th Secretary of Defense for the United States, serving from February 1994 to January 1997. He previously served as Deputy Secretary of Defense (1993-1994) and as Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (1977-1981). He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He has received numerous awards including the Presidential Medal of Freedom (United States), Knight’s Commander Cross (Germany), and the Grand Officer de l’Ordre National du Merite (France). He has also received distinguished civilian awards from the governments of Albania, Bahrain, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Poland, Slovenia, Ukraine, and the United Kingdom.
Dr. Perry is currently involved in The Nuclear Tipping Point Project. In collaboration with former Secretary of State George Shultz, former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, and former Senator Sam Nunn, the Project is dedicated to raising international awareness about nuclear threats and to help build support for the urgent and complex actions needed to reduce nuclear dangers.
Dr. Perry received a BS and MS from Stanford University and a PhD from Penn State, all in mathematics.