Soul of Money Institute president to deliver Centenary College commencement address

photo of Lynne Twist
Lynne Twist

SHREVEPORT, La. (Centenary News Service) - Famed author, fundraiser and global activist Lynne Twist will receive an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters and deliver Centenary's 2011 commencement address on Saturday, May 7. The annual celebration will take place at 10:30 a.m. in the Gold Dome.

Twist has devoted her life to bringing forth an environmentally sustainable, socially just, and spiritually fulfilled human presence on earth. In her travels around the world for her work she has developed a keen understanding of the relationship between people and money and the psychology of scarcity and sufficiency. She shares compelling stories and insights from those experiences in her book, The Soul of Money. Twist also serves as principal consultant to the Nobel Women's Initiative, working with the seven living female recipients of the Nobel Peace Prize to promote peace with justice and equality across the world.

"We are eager to welcome Lynne to campus and excited about the opportunity to draw from her wisdom and experience," said Dr. B. David Rowe, Centenary's President. "The message that she brings of the fulfillment that comes from leading a committed life is one that echoes the transformation we are striving toward at Centenary. I hope that everyone in attendance, especially each and every graduate, is touched by her passion for and dedication to creating a better world."

Twist is the founder and President of the Soul of Money Institute whose mission is to educate, inspire, and empower people & organizations to align their financial resources with that which they value most. She founded the Institute to lead people to find sufficiency and peace in their relationship with money, a message particularly critical in these challenging financial times. The Institute's work is based on Twist's award-winning book, The Soul of Money, and audio course, Unleashing the Soul of Money. She also founded the Pachamama Alliance to promote sustainability using lessons drawn from indigenous people of the Amazon rainforest.

While in positions of leadership spanning three decades, Twist has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to solve humanity's most pressing problems. She has also presented to thousands of people in the business, nonprofit, and academic arenas; spoken on many radio broadcasts; and been featured in various magazines, newspapers and books.

About Centenary College of Louisiana

Centenary College is a private, four-year arts and sciences college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. Founded in 1825, it is the oldest chartered liberal arts college west of the Mississippi River and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Centenary is one of 16 colleges and universities constituting the Associated Colleges of the South and has been recognized as "One of the Best 373 Colleges" by the Princeton Review and one of "America's Best Colleges" and one of "America's Best Private Colleges" by Forbes.com. In 2008 Centenary College celebrated 100 years in Shreveport and Bossier City.