Malone University Names The Rev. Dr. Cedric Rodney as Alumnus of the Year

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The Rev. Dr. Cedric Rodney

CANTON , OH (10/12/2011)(readMedia)-- The Rev. Dr. Cedric Rodney was recently recognized as Alumnus of the Year at Malone University's Homecoming celebration. Dr. Rodney is the James A. Gray Professor of Religion & Ethics in the Department of Social Sciences at Winston-Salem State University (NC) and a 1958 Malone University graduate, currently residing in Clemmons, N.C.

The following tribute was read at a banquet held in his honor:

Rev. Dr. Cedric Rodney is the James A. Gray Professor of Religion & Ethics in the Department of Social Sciences at Winston-Salem State University in NC. Cedric Rodney graduated with a B. A. in Religion from Malone College. He also earned a M.A. from John Carroll University, OH. He has done additional studies at Oxford University, Canterbury Ecumenical School, and Union Theological Seminary. Rodney was awarded the Doctor of Divinity from Moravian Theological Seminary in Bethlehem PA.

Dr Rodney has led churches in Guyana, Ohio, Delaware and North Carolina. He was the pastor of St. Philips Moravian Church from 1968-1976 and 1984-2003. St. Philips is one of the oldest African American churches in the United States. Rodney retired from active ministry of the Moravian Church effective December 31, 2003. He was ordained a deacon on October 13, 1959 after immigrating to the US from Guyana where his home church was the Queenstown, NY congregation. He was consecrated a presbyter on May 3, 1970. He served two pastorates in the C.M.E. (Christian Methodist Episcopal) Church and two pastorates at St. Philips Moravian Church in Winston-Salem, NC.

Dr. Rodney's association with Winston-Salem State University spans three decades and includes the roles of Chaplain, faculty member, coordinator of the university's Youth for Christ Choir, Campus Outreach Program, chair of the Joseph N. Patterson Lecture Series, coordinator of the James A. Gray Lecture Series, and a member of numerous campus committees. He was the first to be named Distinguished Professor at Winston-Salem State University. In recognition of his many contributions to Winston-Salem University, in 1997 he was the first recipient of the annual University Distinguished Service Award – which was later named in his honor. He also received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Winston-Salem State University.

Rodney currently serves on the Governing Board of Directors of the Hospice and Palliative Care Center of Winston-Salem. The Rev. Dr. Cedric Rodney was one of the 22 honorees at The Chronicle's 24th annual Community Service Awards banquet in Winston-Salem, NC. He and other honorees are profiled in the special section "Saluting the Best of the Best" in the March 8 issue. Cedric's profile is entitled "The Dedicated" and begins, "A dignified man with a strong devotion to this community and the world, Dr. Cedric Sydney Rodney has had a full life and career that has inspired many."

He is known as pastor, teacher, ethicist, peacemaker, a faithful servant of God. He is married to Dr. Mae Lipscomb Rodney and the father of three children.

Malone University, a Christian university for the arts, sciences, and professions in the liberal arts tradition, affiliated with the Evangelical Friends Church, awards both undergraduate and graduate degrees in more than 100 academic programs. Malone is recognized by the prestigious Templeton Foundation as a leader in character development, named one of Northeast Ohio's Top Workplaces by the Cleveland Plain Dealer, and is ranked among the top colleges and universities in the Midwest under the category Regional Universities according to U.S.News & World Report's America's Best Colleges 2012.