Cumberlands’ Forcht Leadership Event to feature Terry Bradshaw

NFL Hall of Famer, four-time Super Bowl champion and television personality Terry Bradshaw will be the keynote speaker for the University of the Cumberlands’ 13th Annual Excellence in Leadership Series, which is sponsored by The Forcht Group of Kentucky.

“Terry Bradshaw has a story of perseverance – of using his character and determination to do all the things no one thought he was capable of,” said Dr. Larry Cockrum, University of the Cumberlands President. “That is a message we want to always resonate with our students: that they are capable of achieving greatness at any level, no matter the obstacle before them.”

The Excellence in Leadership event takes place Tuesday, April 10, at 7 p.m. in the O. Wayne Rollins Center.

The event is free and open to the public; however, tickets are required for admission. Tickets are available for community members on a first-come, first-served basis and can be reserved online starting March 1 at www.ucumberlands.edu/tickets.

Bradshaw was a four-time Super Bowl champion with the Pittsburg Steelers and was twice named Super Bowl MVP before retiring in 1984.

Today he is recognized as one of the preeminent sports personalities serving as co-host and analyst on Fox NFL Sunday. When he’s not being featured on the television screen, Bradshaw can be seen sharing his talents on the big screen in movies such as “Failure to Launch” and the recently released “Father Figures.”

In 2002, he became the NFL’s first player to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bradshaw is also an Emmy award-winner with eight nominations for “Outstanding Sports Personality” and three wins in 2000, 2002 and 2009.

Bradshaw has written five books and became a New York Times best-selling author with his acclaimed autobiography, “It’s Only a Game” in 2001. His other autobiographies include: “Keep it Simple” in 2002, “Looking Deep” in 1989, “Terry Bradshaw: Man of Steel” in 1979 and “No Easy Game” in 1973.

In addition to the five books, Bradshaw has recorded six albums of country/western and gospel music. He has even taken the stage with his daughter, Rachel, on The Tonight Show to perform “Everything a Daddy Won’t Say.”

UC’s annual lecture series is made possible by an endowment from local business owners Dr. Terry and Mrs. Marion Forcht, who founded The Forcht Group of Kentucky Center for Excellence in Leadership in 2006.

The purpose of the Center is to provide programs and activities that enhance the development of leadership, character and good citizenship. Past speakers in the series have included Roy Moore, Zell Miller, Stephen Covey, Ben Stein, Karl Rove, Mike Huckabee, Rudy Giuliani, Charles Krauthammer, Dr. Ben Carson, Fred Thompson, Dr. William “Will” Franklin Graham IV, the grandson of world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, and Shaquille O’Neal.

“We are grateful for the continued support of the Forcht Group of Kentucky,” said Dr. Cockrum. “The generosity of Dr. Terry and Mrs. Marion Forcht help make it possible to bring speakers like Terry Bradshaw to Williamsburg.”