By Mary Lou Hazel, Media Relations
Commerce – Summer Commencement at Texas A&M University-Commerce will be held tomorrow in the Field House with new president Dr. Dan Jones to present the degrees.
Ceremonies for undergraduate students will be at 10 a.m. with graduation for master's and doctoral students at 2 p.m.
Speaking at the ceremonies will be Dr. Michael McKinney, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System.
A former family practice physician, McKinney came to the A&M System from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, where he had served as senior executive vice president and chief operating officer since September 2003. He had served in leadership positions at the UT System since 2002, including vice chancellor for health affairs at the UT System administrative offices in Austin and acting dean of the UT Medical School in Houston.
During 2001 and 2002, McKinney served as chief of staff to Governor Rick Perry. From 1995 to 1998, during former George W.
Bush's first term, he was Texas commissioner of health and human services. In this role, he oversaw 11 state agencies, a staff of 64,000 and a budget of $24 billion.
From 1984 to 1991, he represented Leon, Madison, Grimes, Houston, and Montgomery counties in the Texas House of Representatives. He was speaker pro-tempore of the House from 1989 to 1990.
McKinney earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Houston and an M.D. from the U.T. Medical Branch in Galveston.
His many honors and achievements include receiving the Physician's Recognition Award from the American Medical Association in 2006 and the Presidential Award of Merit for Exemplary Service from the Texas Academy of Family Practice.
As a state representative, the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Department of Commerce recognized him as one of the 10 best legislators by both Texas Monthly and The Dallas Morning News, and as an outstanding legislator by the Texas Medical Association and the Texas Department of Commerce.