Mercer Names McLean's Kicklighter Distinguished Alumnus

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Mercer President William D. Underwood (right) presents McLean's Claude Kicklighter with the 2011 Distinguished Alumni Award during the University's Homecoming celebration on Nov. 12.

MACON, GA (11/22/2011)(readMedia)-- Mercer University presented Claude (Mick) Kicklighter, of McLean, Va., with the 2011 Distinguished Alumnus Award on Nov. 12 at the University's Homecoming celebration. The award is presented for service to humanity and dedication and is given to an alumnus or alumna of Mercer University who has served their profession in an outstanding manner and, in doing so, has brought honor to his or her person and the University.

Kicklighter's career spans more than 55 years of public service. He currently serves as director of the Georgia Mason University School of Law's Critical Infrastructure Protective Program and as chairman of the board of directors of the Friends of the National World War II Memorial. He has previously served as chairman of the board for Habitat for Humanity International.

Kicklighter retired as a lieutenant general after more than 35 years in the U.S. Army, having commanded units at every level from platoon through an Army division to commander of the Army of the Pacific. Since his retirement, he has served positions in the Department of State, Defense and Veterans Administration. Kicklighter's last Senate-approved appointment was inspector general of the Department of Defense, from which he retired in 2008.

A 1955 College of Liberal Arts graduate, Kicklighter also has a master's degree from Georgia Washington University. In addition, he is a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

Kicklighter has received the Presidential Citizen Medal, the Eisenhower Liberation Medal, the Decoration for Exceptional Civilian Service, and he is also a two-time recipient of the Department of Defense Medal for Distinguished Public Service.

About Mercer University:

Founded in 1833, Mercer University is a dynamic and comprehensive center of undergraduate, graduate and professional education. The University enrolls more than 8,300 students in 11 schools and colleges – liberal arts, law, pharmacy, medicine, business, engineering, education, theology, music, nursing and continuing and professional studies – on major campuses in Macon, Atlanta and Savannah and at three regional academic centers across the state. Mercer is affiliated with two teaching hospitals - Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah and the Medical Center of Central Georgia in Macon, and has educational partnerships with Warner Robins Air Logistics Center in Warner Robins and Piedmont Healthcare in Atlanta. The University operates an academic press and a performing arts center in Macon and an engineering research center in Warner Robins. Mercer is the only private university in Georgia to field an NCAA Division I athletic program. For more information, visit www.mercer.edu.