Approval of Honorary Doctorate Degree Candidates
Mr. Richard H. Graves has made significant contributions in the fields of healthcare and education. He is the CEO of A1c Care Center, Inc. dedicated to improving the lives of individuals with diabetes. His dedication extends affordable health care opportunities to underserved communities.
Mr. Graves is also committed to the field of education promoting educational equity and creating opportunities for underrepresented students. As the President of the Kentucky State University National Alumni Association, he is working diligently to support the university in achieving its mission.
Mr. Albert B. Wess, Sr., was part of a special unit in World War II responsible for running critical supplies to the front lines. Most of the drivers of the trucking service were African American. A newspaper report about this special unit referred to these special drivers as Tuskegee airmen on the ground.
Mr. Wess is 99 years of age. He was drafted in 1943, on his 20th birthday. He served as a skilled mechanic in General Patton's Army. The Red Ball Express, the name given to the special unity consisted of 6,000 vehicles, moving 1,200 tones of critical supplies a day to the front lines. Mr. Wess recalls driving at night under dangerous conditions. He is proud to have served his country.
Mrs. Dorothy Boggess was born May 30, 1917, in Louisville, KY. She is a graduate of Central High School and earned a Sociology Degree from Kentucky State University. While studying social work at the former University of Atlanta, Mrs. Boggess she moved to Washington, DC to serve in the District's War Department.
In 2007, Mrs. Boggess responded to the Washington Post article regarding young women who had come to Washington, DC to serve and World War II. She explained the Washington Post did not provide consider the contributions by African American women. The Washington Post offered an opportunity to write the story showcasing the African American who also supported the World War II effort.
In 2014, she was bestowed the honor of a Diamond Soror of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated. She is an active member of the Xi Omega Chapter in Washington, DC.
In accordance with “The Gold Book: Bylaws of the Kentucky State University Board of Regents,” The Board of Regents grants diplomas and confers degrees upon the recommendation of the President and the Kentucky State University faculty.