Investiture Celebrates Inaugural Endowed Dean Derek McLean and Supporting Foundations

Leading a college with the breadth and impact of the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture and Natural Resources takes remarkable leadership — someone who can see connections and build on them, who can help students to build judgment and discover how their strengths complement the world around them, according to Provost Chris Corcoran during the investiture of the Janet Q. Lawson Endowed Deanship on Oct. 2.

It’s a unique skill set, and one that Dean Derek McLean brings to the job, Corcoran said.

The event marks the college’s first endowed deanship, with speakers recognizing the positive trajectory that the support has already created during significant structural shifts, as well as the unique role the college plays in a time of social, environmental, and political change.

“This is a college that believes in showing up — for one another, for communities, landscapes, and agriculture. That combination of serious purpose and genuine community is what makes the college such a unique place,” McLean said.

The Janet Q. Lawson and S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney foundations have a remarkable history of support for environmental research and science at Utah State University, noted The Very Rev. Frederick Quinney Lawson, representing the donors. The two foundations collaborated to create the endowed deanship for the college.

“It’s a new chapter, a culmination and a beginning,” Lawson said.

McLean joined USU in July 2026 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where he served as dean of the Agricultural Research Division. He now leads 12 departments spanning a range of disciplines, including nutrition, geology, engineering technology, aviation, and a suite of associate degrees and technical certificates at statewide campuses.

McLean’s leadership background includes serving as a senior science adviser at the National Institutes of Health, senior director of collaborative research for Phibro Animal Health Corporation, and a decade as a faculty member at Washington State University. He has a Ph.D. in animal sciences from Oregon State University, along with a master’s in animal physiology and a bachelor’s in mathematical sciences from Clemson University.

“What makes this even more meaningful is that it builds on a tradition that stretches back generations,” said Matt White, vice president for advancement and president of the USU Foundation.

The Quinney and Lawson families helped shape USU through their commitment to education, agriculture, natural resources, and the landscapes that define our state, said White. S.J. “Joe” Quinney and Jessie Eccles Quinney were both graduates of the Agricultural College of Utah, and the legacy they began has continued through their children and grandchildren — particularly their daughter, Janet Quinney Lawson.

In 1982, Joe and Jessie established the S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney Foundation, and Janet followed their example by establishing the Janet Q. Lawson Foundation in 1990. Through the decades, their combined generosity has advanced research, funded more than 200 Quinney Scholarships, and created countless opportunities for students and faculty.