Associated Press Executive, Jack C. Stokes, to Receive
Distinguished Alumni Award from Long Island University
- Media Relations Manager to attend Brooklyn Campus Commencement on May 15 -

Brooklyn, N.Y. – Veteran Associated Press newsman Jack C. Stokes will receive the Distinguished Alumni Award during the 78th commencement ceremonies at Long Island University's Brooklyn Campus on Thursday, May 15.

Stokes will be sharing the stage with talk show host Tavis Smiley, the commencement speaker, before an audience of more than 1,700 graduating students, many of them immigrants and first-generation collegians.

The manager of media relations at The Associated Press, Stokes himself is the first in his family to earn a college degree. A resident of Briarwood, Queens, he graduated from the Campus in 1973.

This past January, Stokes completed 35 years with the AP, the world's oldest and largest news organization. Since joining the AP in 1973 as a journalist in the New York bureau, Mr. Stokes has held a variety of editorial and administrative positions. He has been a member of the corporate communications staff at the AP's New York headquarters since 1998 and currently serves as a manager of media relations, handling day-to-day media queries. Prior to assuming this role, he served as the AP's recruiting director and was based in the Human Resources Department.

During his tenure at the AP, Mr. Stokes also has managed the New York broadcast department as well as the broadcast news center in Washington , D.C. He is a former editor of AP World, the staff magazine, and presently edits Connections, the staff newsletter distributed to more than 4,000 AP employees.

A recipient of numerous accolades and awards, Mr. Stokes has two honorable mention citations from the AP Broadcast Members Association. A Poughkeepsie, N.Y., native, Mr. Stokes first began his affiliation with AP while attending the Brooklyn Campus. As a journalism student, he spent two summers as an AP news intern.

During his time at the Campus, he honed his writing and reporting skills as a sports editor, the managing editor and the editor in chief of Seawanhaka, the student newspaper. He also became involved in the Campus' nascent radio and television stations, providing sports commentary. In addition, he was honored with the Sigma Delta Chi Outstanding Senior Award and named outstanding student by the Deadline Club.

Long Island University In its ninth decade of providing access to the American dream through excellence in higher education, Long Island University is a multi-campus, diverse, doctoral institution of higher learning. One of the largest and most comprehensive private universities in the country, Long Island University offers over 550 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degree programs and certificates, and educates over 24,000* credit-seeking and continuing education students in Brooklyn, Brookville (C.W. Post), Brentwood, Riverhead, Rockland, Westchester and Southampton. The Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences prepares students for successful careers in the fields of pharmacy and health care. The University's Global College offers a wide range of study abroad options at overseas centers in China, Costa Rica, Japan and South Africa.

Long Island University's more than 650 full-time faculty members provide outstanding instruction, which is supplemented by internships and cooperative education opportunities. The accomplishments of nearly 167,000 living alumni are a testament to the success of its mission – providing the highest level of education to people from all walks of life. The University's NCAA Division I and II athletic teams, nationally renowned George Polk Awards in journalism, Tilles Center for the Performing Arts and Long Island University Public Radio Network (WLIU-FM and WCWP-FM) provide enrichment for students and the community.

*This number includes high school students enrolled in one or more degree-credit courses.

The Brooklyn Campus is distinguished by...dynamic curricula reflecting the great urban community it serves. Distinctive programs encompass the arts and media, natural sciences, business, social policy, urban education, the health professions and pharmacy, and include the Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology, the Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics, the D.P.T. in Physical Therapy and the Pharm.D. in Pharmacy. A vibrant urban oasis in downtown Brooklyn , this diverse and thriving campus offers academic excellence, personalized attention, small class size and flexible course schedules. In 2005, the Campus opened a new performing arts complex, which includes the 320-seat Kumble Theater, and in 2006, a $45 million Wellness, Recreation and Athletic Center , both of which serve the Campus and the community.

Posted: May 9, 2008

Media contact: (718) 488-1015