B-CU to Honor Alumnus, Trustee at Commencement on May 14

Bethune-Cookman University will honor alumnus Larry Little and Trustee Joe Petrock at its spring commencement at 2 p.m., Wednesday, May 14. The ceremony will be held in the Ocean Center.

Little and Petrock will receive the honorary Doctorate of Humanities.

Little, who graduated from Bethune-Cookman in 1967 with a degree in sociology, began his football career at B-CU as a two-way tackle, team captain and an All Conference choice. He enjoyed success with the San Diego Chargers his first two years in the National Football League.

In July1969, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins, and it didn’t take long before he was touted as one of the NFL’s premier offensive lineman. As a right guard, Little accomplished several achievements: an intimidating force in Miami’s rushing attach, a superb pass blocker, and an extraordinary blocker in front of the Dolphins rushing attack of backs Csonka, Kiick and Morris. Little, who was the football coach at B-CU for several years, is the first B-CU alumnus to be inducted into the NFL Hall of Fame.

Currently, Little focuses on his foundation, which raises funds to help children learn to swim. Also, he is a community liaison specialist for Miami-Dade County Public Schools. Little is married to Rosie and they have four children. “I am deeply honored to be recognized by my alma mater,” Little said. “I love Bethune-Cookman because I entered as a boy and departed a man.”

Petrock retired after 30 years as BellSouth’s Executive for Volusia and Flagler Counties. He is currently the Executive Director of Halifax Health’s Foundation/Governmental Relations. Petrock is a product of Florida Tech and Daytona State College. He holds a B.S. in Business Administration and is a 2003 graduate of the National Association for Public Hospitals (NAPH) Fellows Program.

Petrock has served on the boards or has been Chairman/President of no less than 20 of the county’s most venerable organizations, including the Daytona Regional Chamber (Chairman), Volusia Manufacturers 

Association (President) and Bethune-Cookman University (Board of Trustees).

Petrock has been recognized for his civic involvement or as person of the year numerous times: Community Service Award from United Way; Outstanding Leader Award from March of Dimes; Golden Eagle Award and Honor Commissioner from Boy Scouts of America; Outstanding Alumni from Daytona Beach Community College (DSC); Leroy Collins Award from Florida Association of Community Colleges; and the Lay Person of Year Award from Phi Delta Kappa East Florida Chapter.

The Daytona Beach resident has been married to Barbara for 22 years.

Commencement events are: