MCDANIEL HELPS HONOR TOP SCHOLARS APRIL 2

Contact:
Jodie Rooney
724-938-1584
rooney@calu.edu

Posted on March 25, 2011

California University will recognize more than 1,400 of its most accomplished scholars at an Honors Convocation 2 p.m. Saturday in Hamer Hall Auditorium. 


Col. Patricia J. McDaniel ‘77, the first African-American woman to join the Army ROTC program at Cal U, will deliver the honors address.

A native of Pittsburgh who now lives in Austin, Texas, she is a retired colonel with more than 31 years of active and reserve service.  In addition to her bachelor’s degree from Cal U, she holds three master’s degrees — in business administration, public administration and strategic studies — and a Juris Doctor degree.

McDaniel was commissioned in December 1977 into the Women’s Army Corps with “permanent detail” to the Military Police Corps. Among her assignments were platoon leader, company commander and operations officer.

She was appointed as a judge advocate and held positions including defense counsel, senior defense counsel, legal liaison officer and an executive officer in the Office of the Judge Advocate General.

Before she retired, McDaniel was mobilized for a year to serve as chief of the U.S. Army Trial Defense Service, where she supervised more than 300 judge advocates. Today, she is a procurement attorney with the Department of Veterans Affairs, specializing in Information Technology acquisitions.

Several of her decorations and badges include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal with one Bronze Service Star, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, and the Parachutist Badge.

McDaniel was the keynote speaker at last spring’s inaugural Cal U Women’s History Month banquet.  She also was interviewed for the Cal U Women of Accomplishment project, an initiative of the Women’s Center and the Teaching with Primary Sources Center for Oral History.

Cal U President Angelo Armenti, Jr. will preside over the Convocation, and Provost Geraldine Jones will introduce the platform party.

The University rewards academic excellence on the part of master’s, bachelor’s and associate degree-seeking students by honoring Presidential Scholars at this annual event. In addition to meeting other requirements, Presidential Scholars carry a grade-point average of 3.25 or above. Both full- and part-time students are eligible for the award.

This year’s Honors Convocation will recognize 280 students from the College of Graduate Studies and Research, 219 from the College of Liberal Arts, 629 from the College of Education and Human Services, and 293 from the Eberly College of Science and Technology.

A reception for all attendees will be held in the gymnasium immediately after the program.

Honors Convocation Parking

Students and guests who are attending the Honors Convocation may park in Lot 4, the River Lot. Students who live at Vulcan Village also may use this parking area for the April 2 event.

Drivers with handicapped placards may park in lots 8 and 9.

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