Indiana University of Pennsylvania President Tony Atwater has been selected by The New Pittsburgh Courier as one of its 50 “Men of Excellence” for 2009.

Award winners are nominated by readers of the publication, which is the largest and oldest African-American newspaper in the region. Nominees are African-American men from a variety of careers judged as shaping the character of the Pittsburgh community and region by a commitment to excellence.

“This is a tremendous honor for Dr. Atwater and for the entire IUP community,” said Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education Chancellor Dr. John C. Cavanaugh. “His award reflects well on PASSHE. This recognition is well deserved.”

The “Men of Excellence” Award program is in its second year. Last year’ winners included Bill Strickland, president and CEO of Manchester Bidwell Corporation; Dr. Larry Davis, dean of the School of Social Work at the University of Pittsburgh; Dr. Christopher Allen, cardiologist at UPMC Shadyside Hospital and professor of medicine at the University of Pittsburgh; former Pittsburgh Steeler running back and community leader Franco Harris; Pittsburgh Steeler head coach Mike Tomlin; Eric Kevin Mann, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Pittsburgh; and George Miles, president and CEO of WQED Multimedia.

Also included among this year’s award winners is IUP graduate Davie Huddleston, vice president for human resources and college relations for PNC Financial Services Group.

IUP is one of 14 universities that comprise the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, which, with nearly 117,000 students, is the Commonwealth’s largest provider of higher education. The 14 PASSHE universities offer degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Approximately 454,000 PASSHE alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. PASSHE also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Freeport, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.