Muhlenberg College Confers Doctorate on LWR President Wolford

Baltimore, May 23, 2003 — LWR President Kathryn Wolford received an honorary doctorate from Muhlenberg College, an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America-related college in Allentown, Penn., at commencement ceremonies there this week.

Conferring the degree Doctor of Humane Letters, Muhlenberg President James Steffy cited Wolford for her now ten years of leadership in "a highly respected relief organization, inspiring volunteer work and charitable giving to help people worldwide to grow food, improve health, strengthen communities and end conflict."

"Yours has been a life of service and compassion, study and stewardship," Steffy said. "In a world rife with poverty and injustice, you advocate for the poor, provide humanitarian aid to nations broken by war and famine and encourage fair trade."

Earlier on Commencement Day, May 18, Wolford spoke at the college's Baccalaureate service. She challenged graduates to give meaning to their own lives by making a difference in the lives of others. She told of being sustained by the example of "courageous people [in India, Colombia and Senegal] drawing deep from the well of their faith" in order to "help others experience life in fullness and dignity."

Wolford urged the Class of 2003 to be pulled beyond their comfort zones by Jesus' teachings, by their education and by opportunities for service to others. The text of Wolford's sermon is available at .

Muhlenberg has a strong link to LWR. A college alumnus, Rev. Dr. Paul Empie, was a U.S. and global church leader in the post-World War II era and one of the founders, in 1945, of LWR.