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The Courier-Journal - Louisville, Ky Sunday, May 11, 2003 KSU awards Ali honorary doctorate at its commencement ceremony By MARK PITSCH [log in to unmask] The Courier-Journal Kentucky State University awarded Louisville native Muhammad Ali an honorary doctorate at its graduation ceremony yesterday. Ali, the three-time heavyweight boxing champion who retired in 1981, received an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Ali lives in Louisville and is battling Parkinson's disease. Newsweek, Time, Sports Illustrated, GQ and Forbes magazines named Ali the top athlete of the 20th Century. A $40 million Ali Center is scheduled to open in 2005 in Louisville. It will house the Muhammad Ali Institute for Peacemaking and Conflict Resolution, currently at the University of Louisville. Because of his health, Ali was not able to attend the ceremony in Frankfort. Howard Bingham, a friend of Ali's, accepted the honor in his place. KSU also awarded an honorary doctorate to Kenneth Kaunda, the former president of Zambia. Kaunda was a leader in the fight for Zambian independence from Great Britain and was president from 1964 to 1991, when he lost the country's first post-independence election. He is now chancellor of the University of Zambia. About 250 students graduated from KSU yesterday. SNIP SOURCE: The Courier-Journal - Louisville, Ky http://www.courier-journal.com/localnews/2003/05/11ky/met-5-grads0511- 3280.html * * * ---------------------------------------------------------------------- To sign-off Parkinsn send a message to: mailto:[log in to unmask] In the body of the message put: signoff parkinsn