LAKELAND, Fla. (Jan. 11, 2006) – Dr. Anne B. Kerr, president of Florida Southern College, announced today that Robert A.M. Stern, internationally acclaimed architect, author, authority on architectural history and dean of the Yale School of Architecture, will be honored as the College's 72nd Honorary Chancellor. The ceremonies will take place during the college’s Founders Day convocation in Branscomb Auditorium on Tuesday, March 21, at 11:00 a.m. Stern will deliver the Founders Day address and appear at an invitation-only Founders Day luncheon.

Stern is a Fellow of the American Institute of Architects (AIA).  He has received the AIA New York Chapter’s Medal of Honor and its President’s Award, in addition to numerous other awards and recognitions. He has written several books on historical and contemporary topics in architecture, has lectured extensively in the United States and abroad, and his work has been exhibited at numerous galleries and universities. Stern is a graduate of Columbia University (B.A., 1960) and Yale University (M. Architecture, 1965).  Florida Southern recently selected Robert A.M. Stern Architects, a world-renowned design firm founded by Stern, to design the college’s new residential facility on Lake Hollingsworth made possible by a transformational gift from FSC alumni Carol and Barney Barnett.

“Since 1934, Florida Southern has awarded the title of Honorary Chancellor, the highest recognition the College bestows on an individual. As deservedly one of the most famous architects of the world, Robert Stern is an excellent choice for Honorary Chancellor,” said FSC president, Dr. Anne B. Kerr. "His choice is particularly significant as he creates a new structure for this historic campus that will add to the distinctive architectural heritage begun by master architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In fact, not since Mr. Wright last spoke on our campus has a world-renowned architect addressed our College community.”

Among the recipients through the years who have served as Honorary Chancellor are such nationally recognized figures as Walter Cronkite, Bob Hope, Gerald Ford, Chris Wallace, Terry Waite, Robert James Waller, and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. Local honorees have included Jack M. Berry, Charles H. Jenkins, Sr., Beverly Wolff, Truman and Marie Miller, and J. Lanier Upshaw.

About Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College is a private, comprehensive, United Methodist college with a liberal arts core. The college maintains its commitment to academic excellence through 38 undergraduate majors and distinctive graduate programs in business administration, education, and nursing. Florida Southern has a 14:1 student/faculty ratio, provides strong student/faculty mentorship programs, boasts 25 NCAA Division II national championships, and is ranked by U. S. News and World Report as one of the top ten Southern Comprehensive Colleges-Bachelors and by the Princeton Review as a “Best Southeastern College.” Located on scenic Lake Hollingsworth, Florida Southern is the home of the world’s largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture.