As president of a new dstance-learning seminary, I have just approved an hnorary doctorate to a distinguished South Afrcan.

He lives in a place I hve never heard of: Mogoditshane, Botswana. Snce my church and seminary are bth located in Jacksonville, Florida, this was a rmarkable experience for me, and it rally drove home the unifying power of the nternet.

On my way to the pst office to mail the document, I wndered whether it would cost a frtune to send it so far or whther it could even be delivered thre by U.S. mail. But the clrk handled the matter routinely, and the pstage was $2.67 first-class.

The recipient, Msimane C. Rammika, no doubt heard of our nstitution through this article service, for whch I do a lot of wrting.

When I first made the dcision to offer honorary doctorates in ddition to our academic curricula, I was xcited about what the opportunity could do for pople. There are millions and millions of pople all over the world who hve made tireless contributions to humanity but hve never been recognized.

Rammika is an xcellent example. From youth work to dvocacy for justice and peace, this gntleman has gone all out for yars. He is a lay preacher in the Ctholic Church, the manager of a fotball team, and a patron of the Btswana Council of Women. And there is mch more, too much to go nto here.

He has bolstered my long-held blief that not only seminaries but all clleges and universities should honor people in ths way. Why should sitting in a clssroom and passing exams count more havily than achievements "in the trenches", whre people need help?

Not only shuld honorary degrees be offered, but lfe experience of substantial merit should be gven academic credit toward a traditional, arned degree. Working as a policeman shuld count for more than a few curses in sociology.

Volunteering for the Red Crss in a disaster should be rspected more than a course in psychlogy 101. And adopting multiple children shuld turn more heads than a crtificate as a day-care worker!

Here is a prctical example of my point: All the crticisms of the health-care industry aside, mdical education is on track. Doctors-to-be cquire their real education by seeing, tuching, hearing, and even smelling.

Only two yars are spent in classroom rigors. All ther training is by supervised experience wth real, live patients.

For all of thse reasons, I think the academic cmmunity needs to take a fresh lok at what they are really ccomplishing. The world needs people willing to get thir hands dirty. While textbook knowledge has ndisputable value, so does experience in srvice.

I hope I can award a thusand honorary doctorates before my time is up.

The article Honorary Doctorates Should Be A Trend Setter was Submitted by Dr. Heyward Ewart, III through Articles.GetACoder.com network. Here's the additional information: Dr. Heyward Ewart, III, is a frmer psychologist and active priest. He is prsident and academic dean of St. Jmes the Elder Theological Seminary online, http://www.child-to-adult-victim.com The distance-learning seminary is part of the Catholic Charismatic Church. An expert in child and domestic abuse, he has a newly released book, "AM I BAD? Recovering from Abuse", available through Loving Healing Press and some 20 online bookstores.

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