UT Tyler Office of Marketing and Communications

UT System Chancellor Bill McRaven to Speak at UT Tyler

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November 4, 2015

Media Contact:  Hannah Buchanan
Editor/Writer–Strategic Communications & Media Relations
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.539.7196 (cell)

November 4, 2015

Media Contact:Beverley Golden
Executive Director
Marketing and Communications
The University of Texas at Tyler
903.566.7303 or 903.330.0495 (cell)

Chancellor William H. McRaven will open the 2015 – 16 Distinguished Lecture Series at The University of Texas at Tyler R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center, Susan Thomae-Morphew, Cowan Center executive director, announced.

Sponsored by Rod and Merle Mabry/UT Tyler, Chancellor McRaven will speak at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 10. The post lecture reception is sponsored by Patrick and Sherilyn Willis. Media sponsors are CBS 19, KTBB and Suddenlink.

“We are honored to host a true patriot and UT System’s new chancellor, Admiral William H. McRaven (Ret). As Commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, Chancellor McRaven led a force of 69,000 men and women that conducted counter-terrorism operations worldwide,” said President Mabry. “We invite veterans to attend in uniform and stand to be recognized at this patriotic event the day before Veterans Day.”

Tickets are $37, $27 and $17, and can be purchased at the UT Tyler Cowan Center box office by calling 903.566.7424 or online at cowancenter.org. Box office hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and one hour prior to each event.

McRaven, who recently retired as a four-star admiral after 37 years as a Navy SEAL, became chancellor of The University of Texas System in January 2015.

His last assignment with the Navy was commander of U.S. Special Operations Command, during which time he led a force of 69,000 men and women with an annual budget of more than $10 billion. As leader of Special Operations, McRaven was responsible for conducting counter-terrorism operations worldwide as well as building reliable military partners through programs that stressed the rule of law, universal rights, civil liberties and military professionalism.

McRaven also is a recognized national authority on U.S. foreign policy and has advised the president, secretary of defense, secretary of state, secretary of homeland security and other U.S. leaders on defense issues.

He has worked extensively with leaders on Capitol Hill, and as a three- and four-star admiral, he was routinely involved in national policy decisions during both the Bush and Obama administrations.

In 2012, Foreign Policy Magazine named McRaven one of the nation’s Top 10 foreign policy experts, and he was later selected as one of the Top 100 Global Thinkers. He served as primary author of the president’s first National Strategy for Combatting Terrorism and also drafted the National Security Presidential Directive-12 (U.S. Hostage Policy) and the counter-terrorism policy for President George W. Bush’s National Security Strategy.

His military legacy is not limited to strategy, warfare and securing federal support. McRaven also spearheaded the creation of the Preservation of the Force & Family initiative, calling it a “moral imperative” to take care of the mental, spiritual and physical well-being of those who serve in the Special Operations Forces, as well as their families. His wife, Georgeann, has dedicated much of her career to playing a leadership role with military families and wounded warriors.

Born in North Carolina, the son of an Air Force colonel, McRaven spent most of his childhood growing up in San Antonio where he graduated from Roosevelt High School.

McRaven graduated from UT Austin in 1977 with a degree in journalism and received his master’s degree from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey in 1991. In 2012, the Texas Exes honored McRaven with a Distinguished Alumnus Award.

One of the 14 campuses of the UT System, UT Tyler features excellence in teaching, research, artistic performance and community service. More than 80 undergraduate and graduate degrees are available at UT Tyler, which has an enrollment of more than 8,500 high-ability students. UT Tyler offers courses at its campuses in Tyler, Longview and Palestine as well as a location in Houston.