Explorer Celine Cousteau To Speak At Una Commencement Dec. 18
Nov. 24, 2009
Michelle Eubanks, UNA, at media@una.edu, 256.765.4392 or 256.606.2033
FLORENCE, Ala. - Explorer and adventurer Celine Cousteau will speak to the University of North Alabama's fall 2009 graduating class Dec. 18. The commencement ceremony will begin at 7 p.m. in Flowers Hall. Whether she's free-diving, horse riding, leading an expedition to the peaks of the Andes or swimming amid a school of sharks in the South Pacific, Celine Cousteau seeks to educate through adventure and exploration. Daughter of ocean explorer and filmmaker Jean-Michel Cousteau and granddaughter of the legendary Jacques Cousteau, she is featured in PBS's most successful new television series, "Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures." Fluent in three languages, Cousteau has collaborated with her father's Ocean Futures Society promoting the educational program "Ambassadors of the Environment" throughout her travels. She has worked on the preparation of expeditions, field production and as an on-camera presenter. Recently, Cousteau has worked on an upcoming documentary for Discovery Channel, aiding scientists conducting research on the many shark species of the Great Barrier Reef. She is also an international spokeswoman for La Prairie cosmetic company, representing its new line of Advanced Marine Biology creams, and is also ambassador to the Clean Up the World Campaign. Passionate about intercultural relations, Cousteau received her master's degree in international and intercultural management from the School for International Training. She has worked for a number of prestigious organizations, from the University for Peace of United Nations to the Earth Council's Earth Charter Project. Her most recent project is trying to bring medical attention to the indigenous people of the Vale do Javari reserve in Brazil. Cousteau is in constant motion, traveling the globe as a Cousteau "oceanaut" and educational ambassador. She is a respected symbol for a new generation about our responsibility to protect the natural world. Endeavoring to learn and explore the many regions of the world both above and below water as well as the cultures within them, she seeks to make connections between the human species and our environment. Not just an adventurer and explorer, Cousteau is an incredible storyteller and connects unique and diverse cultures, showcasing the importance of learning from one another and helping preserve the distinctive beauty of each and every group of people. PHOTO AVAILABLE: For a photo of Cousteau, contact the Office of University Communications at 256-765-4225 or jlwoods1@una.edu.
About The University of North Alabama
The University of North Alabama is an accredited, comprehensive regional state university offering undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degree programs through the colleges of Arts, Sciences, and Engineering; the Sanders College of Business and Technology; Education and Human Sciences; and the Anderson College of Nursing and Health Professions. Occupying a 130-acre campus in a residential section of Florence, Alabama, UNA is located within a four-city area that also includes Muscle Shoals, Sheffield, and Tuscumbia. UNA Athletics, a renowned collegiate athletics program with seven (7) Division II National Championships, is now a proud member of NCAA Division I as part of the Atlantic Sun and United Athletic conferences. The University of North Alabama is an equal opportunity institution and does not discriminate in the admission policy on the basis of race, color, sex, religion, disability, age, or national origin. For more: una.edu and una.edu/unaworks/.