Civil Society Advocate and Author to Speak at Millersville University’s Commencement

Millersville, Pa. April 20, 2009—Millersville University of Pennsylvania announces Don Eberly, an award-winning author, civic entrepreneur and civil society advocate, as the May 2, 2009 commencement speaker.  Eberly will be speaking on "Serving in the Spirit of Lincoln.”

Eberly is a nationally and internationally noted author and advocate for civil society, private philanthropy and volunteerism.  His career includes a decade serving in senior policy positions in Congress and two administrations, and another decade advocating for and creating non-profit organizations to strengthen community and civic life.

Eberly has authored numerous books and essays on topics of community-based solutions.  His latest book, “The Rise of Global Civil Society: Building Communities and Nations from the Bottom Up,” received critical acclaim for its sweeping overview of the forces now shaping the global debate, including citizen-led development projects, poverty-reduction strategies that substitute opportunity for charity, and electronically linked movements to combat corruption and autocratic rule.   An earlier book, “Building a Community of Citizens,” has been translated into Arabic and is widely circulated within pro-democracy movements in the Middle East.

Eberly has founded several nationally recognized non-partisan, non-profit organizations to promote civic and democratic renewal, including the National Fatherhood Initiative, which is credited with having launched a national community-based social movement to renew committed, involved fatherhood.  He also founded the “Civil Society Project” which promotes philanthropy, volunteerism and non-profit solutions.

His work has been covered in the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Governing Magazine, and National Public Radio and television.

Eberly holds master’s degrees in government from George Washington University and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, and has done doctoral studies at the School of Public Affairs at Penn State University.