Former students honored at Convocation

By Elizabeth Adler
Collegian Staff
October 10, 2007

Closing Family Weekend, La Salle distributed several awards to Explorers past and present at the Honors Convocation Oct. 7.

Dr. Geffrey Kelly, a religion professor and former graduate of La Salle, was awarded the Faculty Distinguished Scholarship Award. Dr. J. Patrick Henry and Dr. Naomi J. Halas also received honorary Doctor of Science degrees, in a ceremony that took place at the Tom Gola Arena.

Mike Dao - Henry receives a warm welcome from President McGinniss.

Kelly was given the award in recognition of his exemplary scholarly achievements. Over his academic career, which spans almost 40 years, Kelly has published several books, as well as numerous articles and monographs. He also served as the chair of the religion department.

Fellow scholars say that Kelly is “a highly respected figure, both nationally and internationally,” specifically concerning his research on Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a German Lutheran pastor who participated in the German Resistance movement.

At the commencement of his speech, Kelly expressed thanks to his colleagues and former professors.

When addressing the subject of education, Kelly said that his goal is to help students learn “to incorporate into their lives the religious- ethical values that will help them in their search for meaning in whatever choices they make in their personal futures and their chosen careers.”

Following Kelly’s speech, Henry and Halas were awarded their respective doctorate degrees.

Henry, a 1969 graduate of La Salle, is an astronomy professor at the University of Hawaii. His work mainly focuses on cosmology and X-ray astronomy.

Henry has received a NASA Group Achievement Award for X-ray astronomy calibration and a Senior Research Award from the Humboldt Foundation of Germany.

He is also internationally acclaimed for his participation in the International Science Working Group for Suzaku, a Japanese satellite launched in 2005.

“I think it is good to remember that hard work alone does not make dreams come true,” Henry said. “Luck plays a part, maybe a big part.”

Henry also dispensed advice to students being honored for achieving Dean’s List. “You can control the number of hours you work. Sleep is overrated,” Henry said. “Pick something you want to excel at and give it your all.”

Halas, a 1980 graduate of La Salle, also received an honorary doctorate degree. Presently, she is a professor of chemistry, electrical and computer engineering at Rice University.

In her speech, Halas stated she was grateful for La Salle because it gave her, “the opportunity to discover intellectual passion.”

Halas studied nanotechnology and has formed her own research group, the Halas Nanoengineering Group, which applies nanoshells to the field of biomedicine.

She has also received the Cancer Innovator Award from the Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs of the U.S. Department of Defense.

The honorees were not only chosen for the significant contributions made in their respective fields, but also for their exhibition of Lasallian values, in which they serve as role models to all students.

adlere1@lasalle.edu