Media Relations
University of South Florida
Lakeland
3433 Winter Lake Road
Lakeland, FL 33803
(863) 667-7077
Fax (863) 667-7097
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Contact:
Tom Hagerty
(863)
667-7077
Dr. Prem Sharma
LAKELAND,
FL (April 30, 2008) - As the University of South Florida Lakeland campus and communities it serves have grown, they have also become more diverse. Dr. Prem Sharma, keynote speaker at the university’s spring commencement, seems an ideal messenger in such a context.
Dr. Sharma was born in Mandalay, Burma, where he faced a world filled with turmoil, hatred and violence. Following the destruction of their home and city during World War II, his family fled to safety in India. Forced to live in abject poverty, Sharma turned in to a rebellious, angry young boy and joined a militant youth group fighting for the country’s freedom from British rule. Then he met Mahatma Gandhi and attended several of his daily prayer meetings, which prompted Sharma to leave the militant movement and embrace the revered leader’s message of love and nonviolence.
“I credit the love and moral examples of my family and the influence of Mahatma Gandhi with ultimately molding my mind and forging the man I am today,” said Dr. Sharma. “By sharing my life’s journey and the lessons learned from it, I will deliver a compelling message of the need for harmony between people of diverse races and faiths.”
Dr. Sharma came to the United States in 1961 and, following an illustrious career in education, recently retired as academic dean of the Marquette University School of Dentistry. He is the author of three novels: “Mandalay’s Child,” “Karma’s Embrace” and “Escape from Burma.”
“Prem Sharma is an incredible gentleman with a voice of harmony and great wisdom,” says Dr. Marshall Goodman, VP and CEO of USF Lakeland. “Throughout his career he has strongly supported broadening educational opportunities for students in higher education and global partnerships that prepare students for the 21st century.”
Dr. Sharma has received extensive recognition for his outstanding record of professional and community service. He served as president of the American College of Dentists and the American Society of Dentistry for Children. Marquette University honored him as its Distinguished Alumnus in Dentistry in 1995 and with its National Alumni Merit Award in 2001. The American College of Dentists gave him its highest recognition, the William John Gies Award, in 2002.
Dr. Sharma has served on the boards of several organizations, including the Milwaukee Chapter of the American Red Cross, the International Institute of Wisconsin and the Milwaukee Public Museum. He was appointed by President Bush to a four year term as a member of the United States Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS.
He has received extensive recognition for his record of community service and the promotion of racial and religious harmony. Both the County and City of Milwaukee declared September 14, 2006, as Dr. Prem Sharma Day.
Dr. Sharma has delivered over 600 motivational addresses to audiences throughout the United States. He and his wife, Anita, a retired physician, live in Raleigh, N.C., and Fort Myers, Fla.
USF Lakeland’s commencement ceremony will take place May 5 at 7 p.m. in the Lakeland Center’s Youkey Theatre.
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