Findlay, Ohio, Nov. 26, 2002 -- Roberto M. Davila, a 1985 graduate of then Findlay College and the current principal of Whittier Middle School in Lorain, Ohio, will be the speaker at The University of Findlay’s fall commencement exercises Saturday, Dec. 7, at 2 p.m. in the Ralph and Gladys Koehler Fitness and Recreation Complex.

In addition, Kotaro Kake, chairman and chief executive officer of Kake Educational Institution in Okayama, Japan, will receive an honorary doctor of education degree.

Roberto M. Davila, a 1985 graduate of then Findlay College, now serves as principal of Whittier Middle School in Lorain, Ohio, a position he has held since the fall of 2002.

Prior to his position at Whittier, he served for one year as principal of Southview High School in Lorain, which is the same high school he was expelled from more than 20 years ago.

After being expelled from high school, Davila found a job changing tires at May Company Tires in Sheffield Township, Ohio. Through a series of events while on that job, Davila decided to go to college. Although a GED was an option, Davila wanted to improve his skills and prove he could go to school everyday. He was given a second chance by Ron Naso, then principal of Clearview High School in Cleveland.

And that’s when Davila’s life started to change. He made the honor roll and missed only one day of school all year. His plans after graduation were to attend Lorain County Community College and study accounting.

After attending LCCC part time for three years, Davila was encouraged by an admissions counselor there to apply for a $3,000 scholarship to study bilingual education at The University of Findlay. He applied and was accepted to UF.

When it came time to do his student teaching, Davila was offered $800 per month to teach in the Houston Independent School District. After student teaching, he was awarded a full-time position with the school, a job he kept for eight years. He also served as principal of Edison Middle School and was a floor principal at Sam Houston High School just prior to returning to Ohio. He accomplished all this while earning his master’s degree in administration at Texas Southern University.

Davila and his wife, Nelly, have five daughters.

Kotaro Kake is chairman and chief executive officer of Kake Educational Institution in Okayama, Japan. In this capacity, Kake is involved with more than 25 different educational institutions. He earned his bachelor’s degree in English and American literature from Rikkyo University in 1974. He first studied abroad in the United States in 1967 and later returned to study at Harvard University and California State University, Long Beach.

In addition to his work with the Kake Educational Institution, he also holds numerous other professional positions, including counselor of Yuki Educational Institution, director of Eisugakkan Educational Institution, counselor to the Takahashi Educational Institution, chief of international affairs at Kake Educational Institution, chairman of Hiroshima Kake Educational Institution, director of Hiroshima Eisugakkan, director of Fukuyama Eisugakkan, and chairman of Kake Educational Promoters and Affiliated Institutions.

Kake is a member of Okayama Corporate Leaders of the West Division, the Rotary Club of Okayama Region and the University Alumni Association of Japan.

He is also a member of numerous organizations, including the Okayama U.S./Japan Cultural Organization, the Okayama Corporate Leaders of the West Division, South Okayama Rotary Club, Okayama Foreign Student Selection Committee, Okayama Bowling Committee and the Okayama Power Lifting Committee. He was a member of the Japan Chamber of Commerce from 1976-91. Kake also serves as a member of the UF Board of Trustees.

Kake received the Award for Excellence in the Area of Educational Development as a member of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce. He is a member of the Shintoizm faith.

He and his wife, Mitsuko, have three children, Mamoru, Satoru and Michika.

At commencement exercises, The University of Findlay will award 374 graduate and undergraduate degrees.

A total of 184 graduate degrees will be awarded. These include 100 master of business administration degrees, 59 master of arts in education degrees, 13 master of TESOL (teaching English to speakers of other languages) and bilingual education degrees and 12 master of science in environmental, safety and health management degrees.

A total of 190 undergraduate degrees will be conferred, including 106 bachelor of science degrees, 33 bachelor of arts degrees, 29 bachelor of science in business management degrees, seven bachelor of science in environmental management degrees and 15 associate of arts degrees.