By Jeff Murphy,
August 29, 2016
WARRENSBURG, MO – A highly sought-after inspirational speaker who has spoken to groups
ranging from public school students to NFL football players and members of Fortune
500 companies, Master Sgt. Cedric King will speak at the University of Central Missouri
at 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21 in Hendricks Hall. He will present the Ike
Skelton Lecture, which is the premiere event for the Servant Leadership Lecture Series,
a joint initiative between UCM and Whiteman Air Force Base.
A wounded warrior and member of the elite Army Rangers who earned a number of military
decorations, King will share a story of persistence and overcoming adversity while
inspiring others to keep an open mind as they push through life’s obstacles. His presentation
is open to the public, and free tickets will be available at the Central Tickets Box
Office, Administration Building 100B, weekdays, 9 a.m. to noon, beginning Wednesday,
Sept. 14, through Tuesday, Sept. 20, and 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 21. Guest
parking is available in parking lots 3 and 24 at South and Maguire streets, parking
lot 18 across from the Lovinger Building at Maguire and Clark streets and parking
lot 33 at the Multipurpose Building. A free shuttle will be available at the Multipurpose
Building.
King’s presentation is the third lecture in this series, which previously brought
to campus former Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Richard Myers (Ret.)
and NASA astronaut Michael S. Hopkins. The Servant Leadership Lecture series was established
in 2014 in celebration of the shared values between UCM and Whiteman, and in recognition
of former Base Commander Maj. Gen. Thomas Bussiere, whose legacy of selfless, community-focused
leadership has provided the foundation for the series. The lecture is named for former
Congressman Ike Skelton, a Democrat from Lexington, who passed away in 2013 having
represented Missouri’s 4th District from 1977 to 2011, including leadership as the
chairman of the House Armed Services Committee.
King entered the United States Army in 1995. During a career that took him from an
infantry private to a position of leadership in the Rangers, King graduated from a
number of distinguished Army schools. These include the U.S. Army Jumpmaster Course,
U.S. Army Pathfinder Course, Air Assault course, the U.S. Army Ranger Course, and
others. He is the recipient of the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious
Service Medal, and is a four-time Best Ranger Competition participant.
On July 25, 2012, during his second tour in Afghanistan, King was severely injured
by an improvised explosive device. The blast caused major internal injuries, permanent
loss to part of his right arm and hand, and the amputation of both legs. He applied
the same determined, can-do mindset to his recovery that he had relied on to succeed
as an Army Ranger. With the love and support of his wife, Khieda, and daughters, Amari,
and Khayma, he began rebuilding his life.
Just 21 months after losing both legs, King completed the Boston Marathon, running
on prosthetic blades. He has competed in a number of physically daunting events, including
a 70.3-mile half Ironman Triathlon, the 2014 New York City Marathon, and the 48.6-mile
Disney Marathon series. There, he successfully completed four runs in four days --
a 5k, 10k, half marathon, and full marathon.
Today, just as he led and motivated men and women in combat, he now leads and motivates
others to see their possibilities.
To learn more about King, visit cedricking.us. Call 660-543-8888, or visit ucmo.edu/series
for parking and additional information.
