[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 78 (Thursday, June 13, 2002)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1028-E1029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                    TRIBUTE TO DR. LEROY DAVIS, SR.

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JAMES E. CLYBURN

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, June 12, 2002

  Mr. CLYBURN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to a dear 
friend and fellow South Carolinian, Dr. Leroy Davis, Sr. On June 30th 
Dr. Davis will retire as president of our alma mater, South Carolina 
State University (SCSU) in Orangeburg, South Carolina.
  Dr. Davis is only the second alumnus and the first Orangeburg native 
to be inaugurated as president of South Carolina State University in 
its 125-year history.
  Dr. Leroy Davis, Sr. received a bachelor of science degree in biology 
and a master of science degree in microbiology at SCSU. He matriculated 
at Purdue University and received his doctoral degree in molecular 
biology in 1979. Most of Dr. Davis' professional career has been spent 
serving his alma mater at South Carolina State University, where he 
quickly advanced and became a tenured professor of biology. He also 
worked at Brookhaven National Laboratory as a research assistant and 
the National Institutes of Health where he was an extramural associate. 
However, his love for his home State and S.C. State brought him back to 
South Carolina.
  Dr. Davis has served as director of the Office of Institutional Self-
Studies, Provost for Academic Admissions, vice president of Student 
Services, and interim president. On April 10, 1996, Dr. Davis became 
the eighth president of this exceptional institution.
  While serving as president of South Carolina State University, Dr. 
Davis has shown tremendous leadership and innovation. The University 
established its first staff senate, increased scholarship support in 
order to recruit more academically talented freshmen, the first 
Emeritus awards to professors have been presented, and community 
service programs in the fields of health care and economic development 
have been put into action. In addition to his many accomplishments at 
South Carolina State University, Dr. Davis has spread his talents to 
other Universities in the region by being active in the Southern 
Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). In this organization, he 
serves as Commissioner on the Commission on Colleges and presents 
workshops and symposiums, Dr. Davis also holds memberships in many 
professional and service organizations including the American Council 
on Education, The American Association for the Advancement of Science, 
and Rotary International.
  Dr. Davis is husband to the former Christine McGill of Kingstree, 
South Carolina and the father of two children Tonya and Leroy, Jr. 
Throughout his life, Dr. Davis has shown an unrelenting pursuit and 
love for education. Through his example of diligence and perseverance 
in his studies and as an educator, Dr.

[[Page E1029]]

Leroy Davis has touched many lives, and has inspired students as well 
as peers.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask you and my colleagues to join me in recognizing my 
good friend and a man that I greatly admire and deeply respect. Dr. 
Leroy Davis, Sr. has served his community and State well and has 
provided outstanding leadership to South Carolina State University over 
the years. I wish him good luck and Godspeed in what I know will be a 
very active retirement.

                          ____________________