Mutombo Awarded Honorary Degree

Mutombo

CORTLAND, NY, May 7, 2004 -- Dikembe Mutombo of the New York Knicks, an NBA All-Star and a humanitarian, and George Jones ’56, a SUNY Cortland Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient and the former U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) mission director to Kenya, will both receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from State University of New York (SUNY) College at Cortland during Undergraduate Commencement exercises on Saturday, May 15.

Mutombo is being awarded an honorary degree for his outstanding achievement as a professional basketball player and a philanthropist. Mutombo, who graduated with dual majors in linguistics and diplomacy from Georgetown University, has used his intellect, celebrity and wealth to advance worthy causes, including providing, much-needed medicine, pharmaceuticals and medical resources to countries in his native Africa.

The invitation-only ceremonies will take place at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. in the Bessie L. Park '01 Center's Alumni Arena on the SUNY Cortland campus. SUNY Cortland is located near Syracuse, New York.