DR. BILL COSBY RECEIVES COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF PHILADELPHIA'S HIGHEST HONOR

PHILADELPHIA, December 13, 2007 - Community College of Philadelphia gave its prestigious, first ever Allen T. Bonnell Award to Dr. Bill Cosby today at a breakfast attended by some 300 elected officials, business leaders, educators and guests at The Down Town Club Catering and Conference Center, 6th and Chestnut streets.

"Our recipient is a genuine renaissance man," said Daniel P. McElhatton, Esq., chairman of Community College of Philadelphia's Board of Trustees, adding that Cosby continues to be a leading force in the movement to help educate youth and their parents as a way of breaking the cycle of crime and violence that has become all too familiar in the city.

In a speech interspersed with humorous anecdotes, Cosby described the College as an "eraser" that gives people from all walks of life, particularly those labeled by society as disadvantaged, the opportunity to rise above their circumstances, erase societal stigmas, gain education and advance into rewarding careers. He also encouraged those in attendance to provide monetary support to help the College continue its mission.

"You can be born with a label ‘at risk,’ ‘disadvantaged,’ and you can go into a home, poverty, drugs, negative behavior of all kinds, and you can want to throw away, and perhaps even throw away, your chance to go through the public school system and onward, even incarcerated. Community College (of Philadelphia) is the eraser," Dr. Cosby said.

The renowned actor, comedian, author, educator and humanitarian praised the College for being a place where people can turn for individual attention, advice and training in how to pursue a profession, and he lauded the College for helping to turn around the lives of thousands of people, some of whom may have turned to a life of crime if it had not been for the College's supportive environment.

"The time when you decide that you want to make a difference in yourself, Community College (of Philadelphia) is ready," he said. Dr. Cosby was one of six people who received awards at the College's Pathways Breakfast. In recognition of his outstanding commitment to his fellow man, Dr. Cosby received the College's highest honor, named after the College's founding president Allen T. Bonnell, Ph.D., who sat at the table with Dr. Cosby.

Dr. Bonnell’s belief that education should be a right for all, not just the privileged few, led to the founding of the College, which opened in 1965 in a former department store at 34 S. 11th Street. Today, the College is located at 1700 Spring Garden Street, the former home of the Philadelphia Mint, and at three Regional Centers. Approximately 37,000 students take credit and noncredit courses at the College.

The Bonnell award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated a commitment to access, opportunity and transformational change. Dr. Cosby embodies those characteristics. His innovation and determination in providing and advocating for educational initiatives has been inspiring. For decades, Dr. Cosby has urged individuals to better themselves by focusing on obtaining a quality education that can lead to a rewarding career. This year, he has called on community colleges to play a key role in educating young people. In speaking engagements around the country, Dr. Cosby has reiterated this theme, imploring young people to obtain their education and then go back and help the troubled youth in their communities.

Part of Dr. Cosby's mission is focused on helping to stop the violence in Philadelphia and around the country. In April, he spoke at the American Association of Community Colleges' national convention in Tampa, Fla., and challenged community college leaders to step up efforts to train students to enter careers, such as psychology and social work, through which they can help at-risk and incarcerated youth.

Others honored at the Pathways Breakfast included: Corporate Partnership Award - Bill Knott, regional president for Wachovia Bank; Foundation Keystone Award - Barbara Cohen of The Hassel Foundation; Civic Investment Award - Cecilia Moy Yep, founder of the Philadelphia Chinatown Development Corporation; Community Philanthropist Award - Kal Rudman, music industry pioneer and philanthropist; Alumni Achievement Award - Community College of Philadelphia Alumnus Paul Gluck, executive director, Kal and Lucille Rudman Institute for Entertainment Industry Studies, Drexel University.

The Pathways Breakfast was sponsored by Comcast Corporation, The Glenmede Trust Company and the Independence Foundation, as well as Agoos/Lovera Architects; Beneficial Bank; Citizens Bank; Independence Blue Cross; Jacques Ferber, Inc.; Keystone Mercy Health Plan; Edward Y. Kung, Ph.D.; Verizon; Bill and Eileen Whiteside; and other sponsors.