Days Gone By

<p>Paul S Hickman was born in Tullahassee Oklahoma - a small rural African-American township. He attended a rural elementary school and graduated from the academic Manual. Training High School in Muskogee Oklahoma. </p><p><br></p><p>During his 26 years of military service he concurrently completed four college degrees; a post-graduate degree from Vanderbilt University - a graduate degree from Claremont Graduate University - a graduate degree from Golden Gate and a bachelor with La Verne University in the disciplines of Human Develop and Counseling - Executive Management-Public Administration and Economics. Because of his great skill in job performance organizational and leadership qualities he was selected to be the Project Officer for several high-profile military operations in the USA Greece and the UK. </p><p><br></p><p>In addition he chaired two Military Black History Month Celebrations with University of Oxford academic scholars in attendance in 1981 in the UK and with US Embassy Staff in attendance in 1986 in Greece. During this period in the UK he was an adjunct Lecturer of undergraduate courses of Economics Management and Business Administration Courses for Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and the City Colleges of Chicago in the UK. </p><p><br></p><p>After his retirement from the military he returned to Kifisia Greece and was hired by Southeastern College in Kifisia Greece as an Associate Professor with the duties as the Business Department Coordinator and a lecturer of Management courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Further he was an Adjunct Lecturer as well as the supervisor for three MBA candidates who completed their thesis with the marks of 'Commendable' at the University of Laverne in Greece. </p><p><br></p><p>Because of his commitment to bridging cultural gaps he was inducted into the American-Hellenic Economic Progressive Association [AFIEPA] all in Greece where he was instrumental in arranging a social function for the 1984 American Olympic delegation to Greece with the Honorable Mayor Thomas Bradley-the Mayor of Los Angeles. </p><p><br></p><p>After returning to the United States and employed with the State of Maryland as a Disabled Veteran Outplacement Professional for 2 years. While employed there his supervisor made the comment that he did not know what made him tick. With that he penned and submitted a poem entitled Spirit Eagle to the North American Open Poetry contest. His poem was selected for publication by the National Library of Poetry. Then he informed his supervisor that this is who he really was - a poet! </p><p><br></p><p>Golden Apple Press published his poem Simple Things as the Editor's Choice in their publication entitled Little Poems-Big Thoughts. He was selected by the National Library of Poetry to submit any one of his poems for their collection of new poems in their The Best Poets entitled Best Poems publication. The International Society of Poets rendered him free membership in their society as well as an invitation to become a Distinguished Member of the Society. </p>