WEST PLAINS, Mo. – Nominations are being sought by officials at Missouri State University-West Plains for the very first honorary associate’s degree, which will be awarded at the 2011 commencement ceremony in May.

University officials said the honorary degree, which will be awarded at commencement, is designed to recognize and honor exceptional men and women who have given a substantial part of their lives to serving others and/or who have distinguished themselves.  Conferral of the degree also establishes a public association between Missouri State-West Plains and such exceptional men and women, thereby providing testimony to the values and quality of two-year institutions, officials added.

“The idea of awarding an honorary degree at Missouri State-West Plains was initially suggested to me a couple of years ago by George Boggs, then president of the American Association of Community Colleges,” explained Elizabeth Grisham, director of development.  “The conferring of an honorary degree had been historically limited to four-year institutions, Boggs said; however, as community colleges and two-year institutions had seen dramatic gains in prestige and enrollment, these institutions also were realizing positive results by conferring similar honorary degrees.  After much discussion by University faculty and administration alike, the honorary degree was approved last year, with the first degree to be bestowed at the spring 2011 commencement.”

Members of the community, as well as the University’s Administrative Council, Faculty Senate and Staff Senate, are invited to nominate recipients for an honorary degree.  The degree granted may be the Honorary Associate of Arts Degree, Honorary Associate of Applied Science Degree or Honorary Associate of Science Degree.  Recipients will be announced prior to the commencement ceremony.

Recipients may be alumni, former University employees, former Board of Governors members or public officials, but they may not be, at the time of the award, current employees, incumbent members of the Board of Governors or incumbent officials of federal, state or local government.  Other criteria to be considered include a nominee’s:
• Eminent contribution to the college, the system, the community, the state or society;
• Eminent achievement in a particular field or endeavor;
• Personal status that will enhance the reputation of the college or system and serve as an example to its students and alumni;
• Potential for contribution to the goals or welfare of the college.

The deadline for submitting nominations for the spring 2011 commencement ceremony is Feb. 1.

“We are excited to be able to award an honorary associate’s degree on our campus for the first time during the spring commencement and look forward to recognizing someone special with this distinction,” said Missouri State-West Plains Chancellor Drew Bennett.  “I encourage community members to nominate deserving men and women for this illustrious honor.”

For more information about the award and nomination procedures, call the Missouri State-West Plains development office at 417-255-7240 or visit the honorary degree website, http://wp.missouristate.edu/development/HonoraryDegree.htm.