A local businessman known throughout the world for his humanitarian projects will address the 2001 spring graduates and their families at 1 p.m., Sunday, May 20, at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point.

John Noel of Stevens Point, president and CEO of Travel Guard Insurance and the Noel Group, heads the leading travel insurance company in the country. A Wausau native and 1971 graduate of UWSP, Noel was named a Distinguished Alumnus in 1999.

The program at the Specht Memorial Forum will open with the national anthem sung by Andrea Kaminski, a music education major from Stevens Point, who also will lead the singing of the alma mater. UWSP�s ROTC color guard will present the flags and Provost and Vice Chancellor Bill Meyer will welcome the participants and recognize honor students and award winners. Assistant Chancellor for Student Affairs Bob Tomlinson will commend the James H. Albertson Award recipients and Chancellor Thomas F. George will introduce the speaker.

George also will present diplomas and give the charge to graduates. Robert Spoerl, president of the UWSP Alumni Association, will give the charge to alumni. Music will be provided by the UWSP Commencement Band under the direction of Professor James Arrowood. Professors William Kelley and Dan Dieterich will introduce each candidate for graduation.

Graduating senior Andrew Halverson of Stevens Point will speak about "Opportunities" on behalf of his class. The son of Scott and Kim Halverson, 3139 Dan�s Drive, he graduates with a double major in political science and public administration and policy analysis. This spring he receives both the Chancellors Leadership Award and the James H. Albertson Award, UWSP�s highest student recognition. A past president of the Student Government Association and College Democrats, Halverson received the Student Government Most Valuable Person Award. He is a 1996 graduate of Stevens Point Area Senior High School.

The Noel Group, founded by Noel in 1982, is a service, travel, insurance and real estate business with nearly 500 employees in 14 worldwide locations. Noel is a graduate of the Covey Leadership Center, a program based on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, created by Dr. Steven Covey. He contributed a chapter to a recent Covey book sharing the positive impact that the 7 Habits have had on his personal and professional life.

John and his wife, Patty, have founded a number of humanitarian projects throughout the world including Make A Mark, a nonprofit program that funds sustainable building projects in developing countries. They have rebuilt a kindergarten in war-ravaged Klipi, Croatia, built and equipped a hospital addition in Rostov-Veliky, Russia, created a computer laboratory for students in Eleuthera, Bahamas, and built staff quarters for the Nyumbani Orphanage in Karen, Kenya. The orphanage takes in abandoned HIV positive children and provides them with the best nutritional, medical and psychological care available. Recently Make A Mark partnered with the Nelson Mandela Children�s Fund to create a self-sustaining community for orphans, and elderly and disabled adults in Africa. The organization is currently working on a shelter for homeless street children in Brazil.

In 1996 the Noels created the Compass Scholar Program to encourage and reward academic achievement, leadership and citizenship for high school students of color in Wisconsin Schools. The program includes room, board, and tuition at UWSP plus a paid internship at the Noel group. With six children of their own and eight Compass Scholars, the Noels support 14 students in college.

As part of their commitment to cultural diversity, John and Patty helped support a class at UWSP called Ethnic Diversity in Wisconsin by providing a grant to broadcast portions of the class on area cable access channels.

Recently the Noels were presented with the Franklin Covey Humanitarian Service Award given to outstanding individuals who reach out to improve the quality of life for individuals, groups or humankind.

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