2008 Lincoln laureates announced
<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Six Illinoisans who have excelled in law, business, education and social service will become laureates of the Lincoln Academy of Illinois, Gov. Rod Blagojevich announced Monday.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">The title is the highest honor for outstanding achievement the state bestows to persons who were born or have resided in Illinois. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">"These individuals honor us with their achievements and make us proud to be Illinoisans. Their scholarship, leadership and contributions to our world make them giants in their fields," Blagojevich said in a news release. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">The 2008 laureates include:</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">*David Herbert Donald, one of the world's foremost Abraham Lincoln scholars, two-time Pulitzer prize winner and the author of more than 20 books. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">*Judge Joel Flaum of the 7th Circuit U.S Court of Appeals in Chicago.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">*William Norwood, who was the first African-American quarterback on the Southern Illinois University-Carbondale football team and the first African-American pilot to fly for United Airlines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">*Kenneth Shaw, a retired chancellor of Syracuse University who spent 30 years as a university president in Wisconsin, Illinois and New York.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">*Thomas Siebel, founder, chairman and CEO of Siebel Systems, which merged with Oracle Corp. in 2006 to form one of the world's leading software companies.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">*Irl Engelhardt, one of the nation's most successful business leaders and former chairman of Peabody Energy. Engelhardt formed the Future of Pinckneyville Foundation Inc. and has made contributions to area schools in his southern Illinois hometown. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Academy officials will present honorees with the Order of Lincoln Medallion at a<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>ceremony April 26 at SIUC. </font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">The Lincoln Academy was established in 1965 to honor Illinois' most distinguished citizens, either by birth or residence. Past honorees have included Ronald Reagan, the Chicago Bears' Walter Payton, poet Gwendolyn Brooks, author Michael Beschloss, business leader Lester Crown, Nobel scientist Leon Lederman, and educator Stephanie Pace Marshall.</font>
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<p class="BODY" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><font face="Imperial">Meagan Sexton can be reached at (217) 782-6882.</font>