Joseph Awad
Encyclopedia
Joseph Frederick Awad was a poet
, painter, public relations
and executive. He was appointed national president of the Public Relations Society of America in 1982 and Poet Laureate of Virginia
in 1998. Awad was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 1992. His poetry has been anthologized with both Arab-American and Irish-American writers (see List of Arab American writers).
Born in the coal-mining town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania to Frederick Awad and Helen Dwyer. His father was first generation Lebanese immigrant and his mother first generation Irish immigrant. In 1939, after the death of his mother, his father moved them to Washington DC and opened a barber shop in the Mayflower Hotel. Awad obtained a scholarship to Gonzaga College High School
. He then attended Georgetown University
where he was editor of The Georgetown Journal, and graduated cum laude with a BA in English Literature. While in school he worked for the Washington Bureau of the New York Daily News, then later for Dave Herman public relations firm. He took graduate courses in literature at George Washington University and night courses in painting and drawing at the Corcoran School of Art. Awad went to work with Reynolds Metals Company in 1957, from which he retired in 1993 as executive vice president for public relations. After time spent in Louisville, Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois, he and his wife Doris settled in Richmond, Virginia in 1963. They have ten children.
Over the years, Awad held many local board memberships including, Commonwealth Catholic Charities
, Friends of the Richmond Library, and The New Virginia Review. He was also chairman of the Diocesan Communications Commission and vice-president of the Virginia Writer's Club.
Joseph Awad died in Richmond, Virginia, surrounded by his family on July 17, 2009.
Public Relations
Awad was appointed national president of the Public Relations Society of America
in 1982 and chaired their prestigious College of Fellows. He was awarded the Thomas Jefferson Award for career achievement by the Society’s Old Dominion Chapter. The Power of Public Relations was published in 1985 by Praeger Publishers, NY. He was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 1992.
Poetry
Awad has published four books of poetry and his poems have been included in many anthologies and literary journals, including Commonweal, Parnassus, The Kansas Quarterly, the William and Mary Review, and The Poet's Domain. He was a member and eventual president of the Poetry Society of Virginia and awarded their Edgar Allan Poe Prize. Other prizes include The Lyric’s Nathan Haskell Dole Prize and the Donn Goodwin Prize for Poetry. Awad was Poet Laureate of Virginia for the term 1998-2000.
Poem http://washingtonart.com/beltway/awad.html
Poem http://www.poetrysocietyofvirginia.org/sys-tmpl/htmlpage53/
Poem http://www.anglobaptist.org/blog/archives/2006/10/sunday_sermon_c_1.html
Poem http://washingtonart.com/beltway/awad3.html
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, painter, public relations
Public relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
and executive. He was appointed national president of the Public Relations Society of America in 1982 and Poet Laureate of Virginia
Poet Laureate of Virginia
The position of Poet Laureate of Virginia was established December 18, 1936 by the General Assembly.Originally the Poet Laureate of Virginia was appointed without outside consultation by the General Assembly, usually for one year. The procedure was later changed and most recently codified in 1998...
in 1998. Awad was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 1992. His poetry has been anthologized with both Arab-American and Irish-American writers (see List of Arab American writers).
Biography
LifeBorn in the coal-mining town of Shenandoah, Pennsylvania to Frederick Awad and Helen Dwyer. His father was first generation Lebanese immigrant and his mother first generation Irish immigrant. In 1939, after the death of his mother, his father moved them to Washington DC and opened a barber shop in the Mayflower Hotel. Awad obtained a scholarship to Gonzaga College High School
Gonzaga College High School
Gonzaga College High School is a Jesuit high school for boys located in Washington, D.C. The school is named in honor of St. Aloysius Gonzaga, an Italian saint from the 16th century...
. He then attended Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
where he was editor of The Georgetown Journal, and graduated cum laude with a BA in English Literature. While in school he worked for the Washington Bureau of the New York Daily News, then later for Dave Herman public relations firm. He took graduate courses in literature at George Washington University and night courses in painting and drawing at the Corcoran School of Art. Awad went to work with Reynolds Metals Company in 1957, from which he retired in 1993 as executive vice president for public relations. After time spent in Louisville, Kentucky and Chicago, Illinois, he and his wife Doris settled in Richmond, Virginia in 1963. They have ten children.
Over the years, Awad held many local board memberships including, Commonwealth Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities is a network of charities whose aim is "to provide service to people in need, to advocate for justice in social structures, and to call the entire church and other people of good will to do the same." It is one of the largest charities in the United States...
, Friends of the Richmond Library, and The New Virginia Review. He was also chairman of the Diocesan Communications Commission and vice-president of the Virginia Writer's Club.
Joseph Awad died in Richmond, Virginia, surrounded by his family on July 17, 2009.
Public Relations
Awad was appointed national president of the Public Relations Society of America
Public Relations Society of America
The ' , based in New York City, is the world's largest organization for public relations professionals. The organization has more than 21,000 members, including professionals from public relations agencies, corporations, government, health care institutions, military, professional services firms,...
in 1982 and chaired their prestigious College of Fellows. He was awarded the Thomas Jefferson Award for career achievement by the Society’s Old Dominion Chapter. The Power of Public Relations was published in 1985 by Praeger Publishers, NY. He was inducted into the Virginia Communications Hall of Fame in 1992.
Poetry
Awad has published four books of poetry and his poems have been included in many anthologies and literary journals, including Commonweal, Parnassus, The Kansas Quarterly, the William and Mary Review, and The Poet's Domain. He was a member and eventual president of the Poetry Society of Virginia and awarded their Edgar Allan Poe Prize. Other prizes include The Lyric’s Nathan Haskell Dole Prize and the Donn Goodwin Prize for Poetry. Awad was Poet Laureate of Virginia for the term 1998-2000.
External links
Poem http://www.washingtonart.com/beltway/awad2.htmlPoem http://washingtonart.com/beltway/awad.html
Poem http://www.poetrysocietyofvirginia.org/sys-tmpl/htmlpage53/
Poem http://www.anglobaptist.org/blog/archives/2006/10/sunday_sermon_c_1.html
Poem http://washingtonart.com/beltway/awad3.html