|
|
| |
| |
Presidential Citizens Medal Recipient Dr. I. King Jordan
Dr. Jordan receives the Presidential Citizen Medal from President Bill Clinton
Dr. I. King Jordan Receives Presidential Citizens Medal
Washington, DCAt a White House ceremony on Monday, January 8, 2001, Dr. I. King Jordan, president of Gallaudet University, received the Presidential Citizens Medal by President Clinton.
This prestigious award is given by the President of the United States to recognize citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens. Dr. Jordan is being honored for his many achievements on behalf of people with disabilities.
The Presidential Citizens Medal was established by Executive Orderon November 13, 1969. It is one of three Presidential honorary awardsthe other two being the Presidential Medal of Freedomand the National Security Medal. Twenty-seven other Americans received the Citizens Medal along with Dr. Jordan.
Dr. I. King Jordan
 I. King Jordan made history in 1988 when he became the first deaf president of Gallaudet University, the world's only university with all programs and services designed specifically for students who are deaf and hard of hearing. That year Gallaudet students, with support from many alumni, faculty, staff and friends of the University, protested the Board of Trustees' appointment of a hearing person to the presidency.
Called Deaf President Now (DPN), the week-long protest was a watershed event in the lives of deaf and hard of hearing people all over the world. At its conclusion, the Board reversed its decision and named I. King Jordan, one of three finalists for the position, the eighth president of Gallaudet and the first deaf president since the institution was established in 1864.
Since DPN, I. King Jordan's leadership has heightened public awareness of the important educational contributions Gallaudet makes to the nation and the world. He serves as an international spokesperson for deaf and hard of hearing people, as well as an advocate for all persons with disabilities. Much sought after as a public speaker, Dr. Jordan continues to challenge the American public to examine their attitudes toward people with disabilities and to open their minds, hearts and workplaces to them.
Dr. Jordan is a native of Glen Riddle, Pennsylvania, a small town near Philadelphia. After graduating from high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and served four years. An automobile accident left him profoundly deaf at age 21.
Dr. Jordan earned a B.A. in psychology from Gallaudet in 1970. The following year he earned an M.A., and in 1973 a Ph.D., both in psychology and both from the University of Tennessee.
Upon receiving his doctorate, Dr. Jordan joined the faculty of Gallaudet's Department of Psychology. In 1983 he became chair of the department; three years later he was appointed dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.
As professor, department chair, dean, and president, Dr. Jordan has made numerous scholarly contributions to his field. In addition, he has been a research fellow at Donaldson's School for the Deaf in Edinburgh, Scotland, an exchange scholar at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, and a visiting scholar and lecturer at schools in Paris, Toulouse, and Marseille, France.
Dr. Jordan holds eleven honorary degrees and is the recipient of numerous awards, among them: the Presidential Citizen's Medal, the Washingtonian of the Year Award, the James L. Fisher Award from the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), the Larry Stewart Award from the American Psychological Association, and the Distinguished Leadership Award from the National Association for Community Leadership. In 1990, President George Bush appointed Dr. Jordan Vice Chair of the President's Committee on Employment of People with Disabilities (PCEPD). In 1993, President Clinton reappointed Dr. Jordan Vice Chair of PCEPD.
Dr. Jordan and his wife, Linda, live on the Gallaudet campus in the historic Edward Miner Gallaudet residence. They have two grown children, I. King III, a bioinformaticist at National Institutes of Health in Washington, D.C., and Heidi, a teacher at the Florida School for the Deaf.
President I.King Jordan one of 28 Presidential Citizens Medal recipients Gallaudet President I. King Jordan was one of 28 recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal at a January 8 ceremony in the White House. President Bill Clinton recognized the honorees for their outstanding service and accomplishments in areas including civil rights, medicine and health, human rights, religion, education, sports, disability advocacy, government service, and the environment.
The Presidential Citizens Medal, established in 1969, is awarded by the president in recognition of U.S. citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service for the nation. The medal also may be conferred posthumously.
'I am honored to recognize these talented and dedicated individualswho in remarkable ways have risen to America's highest callingactive citizenship,' Clinton is quoted in a White House press release. 'In giving freely of themselves and their time they have undoubtedly inspired others to do the same.'
Dr. Jordan received the medal in recognition of being the first deaf president of Gallaudet University, and for the world-wide reputation and respect he has earned not only for his advocacy on behalf of deaf and disability issues, but as a proponent of quality higher education.
'I am very, very pleased to have received the honor,' Jordan said after the event. 'I believe very strongly that every time a deaf person receives positive recognition like this it reflects well on all deaf people. I also think that it is always good for Gallaudet to have our name out there in the public.'
Jordan said that the event was even more impressive than he initially thought it would be. 'Each of the honorees had a military escort and there was a lot of pomp,' Jordan recalled. 'At about 2:30 p.m., we were ushered into a large room and lined up alphabetically. The president came in and spent time with each honoree and her/his guests. He had the official White House photographer with him and a lot of photos were taken.'
Jordan said that Clinton chatted comfortably and sometimes at length with each small group. 'We then went to a large tent on the south lawn for the ceremony,' he said. 'President Clinton spoke briefly and then presented each of the medals, prefaced by short remarks about the recipient. It was really nice.' Jordan said that at the end of Clintons prepared remarks about him, 'he ad-libbed and talked briefly about the fact that I was `an athlete and described my running as more and faster than I should be able to expector words to that effect.' Clinton also mentioned that Jordan has been a good friend to him during the past eight years.
In summary, Jordan said the experience, 'Knocked my socks off.' Jordans guests at the event were his wife, Linda; his mother-in-law, Lucy Compton Kephart; his son, I. King Jordan III; his daughter-in-law, Andrea Jordan; his grandson, Miles Jordan; his daughter, Heidi Jordan Ricker; his son-in-law, Arthur Ricker; and long-time friends Dr. Carol Erting, a professor in the Department of Education; Dr. Joseph Kinner, an associate professor in the Department of History and Government; and Dr. Robert Williams, a professor in the Psychology Department. Jordan said that his mother-in-law, who is 84, 'had the time of her life,' and that his grandson, who is 3, 'understood who the president was and was also duly impressed.' Jordan added that his daughter, a kindergarten teacher, took home some White House napkins to her students, who are learning about manners.
Among the other recipients of the Presidential Citizens Medal were Henry 'Hank' Aaron, Muhammad Ali, Archibald Cox, Senator Warren Rudman, and Elizabeth Taylor.
Best known for breaking Babe Ruth's home run record, Aaron established the Chasing the Dream Foundation in 1995 to help underprivileged children in Atlanta, Ga., pursue advanced study in the arts and sports. In 1964, Ali won the world heavyweight championship boxing title for the first of three times, and after retiring from boxing in 1980 has since become a goodwill ambassador around the world. An attorney and professor, Cox served as solicitor general, Watergate special prosecutor, and chairman of Common Cause, a non-profit lobbying organization dedicated to campaign finance reform. A senator from New Hampshire from 1981 to 1993, Sen. Rudman co-authored the landmark Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction law and served as a member of the Appropriations Committee. Taylor, a legendary actress, also is a co-founder and spokesperson for the American Foundation for AIDS Research, the nation's leading nonprofit organization dedicated to the support of AIDS research, AIDS prevention, treatment education, and the advocacy of sound AIDS-related public policy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Citizens Medal History
