Campus Life

Five Individuals to Receive Honorary Degrees at USU's 129th Commencement

Utah State University welcomes five distinguished individuals to receive honorary degrees during its 129th graduation ceremony.

Those receiving honorary degrees are Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., former governor of Utah and chairman of the Atlantic Council, Douglas S. Foxley, partner at Foxley and Pignanelli, Attorneys-at-Law and former chair of the Utah State Board of Regents, Joseph Andrew Hays, retired founder of Hays Group and former vice president for corporate relations with the Tribune Company, Ligia Amada Melo de Cardona, minister of higher education, science and technology for the Dominican Republic and Jed H. Pitcher, retired president and COO of the Regence Group and former chair of the Utah State Board of Regents.

The prominent individuals will receive honorary doctorates during the undergraduate ceremony May 7 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan. Huntsman is the commencement speaker.

USU President Stan L.Albrecht said honorary degrees are one of the most important ways the university has to recognize people for the commitment and sacrifices they have made to make positive changes in the world.

“All of these individuals have made their marks in a number of ways and in a number of fields, but all of them deserve honor for their passion and determination to serve others,” he said.

JON M. HUNTSMAN, JR. (Honorary Doctorate Recipient and Commencement Speaker)

Huntsman began his career in public service as a staff assistant to former U.S. President Ronald Reagan. He went on to serve the following four U.S. presidents in critical roles around the world, including as ambassador to Singapore, deputy assistant secretary of commerce for Asia, U.S. trade ambassador and, most recently, U.S. ambassador to China.

The two-term former governor of Utah, Huntsman was elected chairman of the Western Governors Association during his tenure. Utah was also named the best managed state in America during his time as Utah’s governor.

Huntsman serves on many boards, including Ford Motor Company, Caterpillar Corporation and Hilton Worldwide, among others. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania.

DOUGLAS S. FOXLEY (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Foxley currently serves as a partner at Foxley and Pignanelli Attorneys-at-Law, specializing in government affairs and public relations, with a focus on federal, state and local governments on behalf of numerous corporate and individual clients.

A Utah native, Foxley has dedicated much of his time serving the state, including time as a member of the Utah State Board of Regents for 12 years, three of which he served as chair. He also founded ECDC Environmental in 1989 that was sold to Union Pacific in 1991.

Foxley currently serves on the USU Foundation Board and is a former member of USU’s Board of Trustees. He graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science and later completed a Juris Doctorate from the University of Utah College of Law.

JOSEPH ANDREW HAYS (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Hays is a retired corporate advocate and communicator who started his career in Utah with Kennecott Copper, an international mining company. After successive roles as a communications officer, that included a stint as a U.S. Peace Corps director of public affairs, Hays was recruited by the Tribune Company in Chicago where he established the company’s office of Corporate Relations.

After retiring from the Tribune Company in 1995, Hays established the Hays Group, a consulting firm that provides counsel to companies on communications policy and enhancing shareholder value and to not-for-profit organizations for strategic planning and fundraising. Hays retired in 2010.

Hays has served on the boards of financial, publishing and cultural organizations. He also served as a member of the Board of Visitors for USU’s Department of Journalism. He graduated with a bachelor’s in journalism from USU, followed with service in the United States Air Force. He then went on to earn a law degree from the Indiana University.

LIGIA AMADA MELO DE CARDONA (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Melo de Cardona is the minister of higher education, science and technology for the Dominican Republic who has provided visionary leadership for higher education and English language training for Dominican citizens. She previously served as her country’s Secretary of State for Education, Fine Arts and Culture from 1996 to 2000.

She is director of the Education Center of the Foundation for Global Democracy and Development, FUNGLODE.

Utah State University has partnered with the Dominican Republic on cooperative programs since the 1980s and became the destination for many recipients for the national scholarship program in 2000. Appointed to her current position in 2004, Melo de Cardona has paved the way for more than 850 students, supported by the Dominican Presidential Scholarship for Superior Students to pursue their higher educational or English training goals at USU.

A total of 368 Dominican students, 198 bachelor’s and 127 graduate students, have attended USU with 321 of them graduating by May 2016. An additional 522 Dominican students participated in the Global Academy, a summer English language and American cultural immersion program.

JED H. PITCHER (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Pitcher is the retired chairman of the board, president and CEO of Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield of Utah and retired president and COO of the Regence Group. He retired in 2004 following 38 years of employment, the latter of which he served in various positions with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Utah and the Regence Group before eventually heading the company.

Throughout his years of employment, Pitcher maintained a vital community role in Utah by serving on the boards of Ballet West, Utah Symphony, United Way and Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce. He also worked on the boards of the Sunshine Terrace Foundation in Logan and served as the chair of the Workers Compensation Fund of Utah.

Pitcher currently serves as the vice chair for USU’s National Advisory Board for Aggie Athletics and as the chair of USU’s Maverik Stadium renovation. He formerly served as the vice chair and chair with the Utah State Board of Regents. He also served as the vice chair and chair of the USU Board of Trustees. He received a bachelor’s in economics from USU, where he also completed post-graduate studies.

For more information on USU’s 129th Commencement, visit the commencement website.

Contact and Writer: Maren Aller, 435-797-1355, maren.aller@usu.edu

Jon M. Huntsman, Jr. is the 2016 Utah State University commencement speaker. He will be awarded an honorary doctorate during the May 7 ceremony.

Honorary Degree recipient Douglas S. Foxley.

Honorary Degree recipient Joseph Andrew Hays.

Degree recipient Ligia Amada Melo de Cardona.

Honorary Degree recipient Jed H. Pitcher.


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