Carnegie Mellon University
February 12, 2013

News Brief: Carnegie Mellon President Jared L. Cohon To Address Pitt’s Honors Convocation and Receive Honorary Degree Feb. 22

Contact: Ken Walters / 412-268-2900 / walters1@andrew.cmu.edu

cohonPITTSBURGH—Carnegie Mellon University President Jared L. Cohon will be the keynote speaker at the University of Pittsburgh’s 36th annual Honors Convocation at 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, in Carnegie Music Hall, 4400 Forbes Ave., Oakland.

The Honors Convocation recognizes the accomplishments and contributions of Pitt alumni, faculty, staff, and students. University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Mark A. Nordenberg will preside and present Cohon with an honorary doctoral degree.

“Jerry Cohon has been an outstanding leader for Carnegie Mellon, a committed citizen of Pittsburgh, a devoted partner of Pitt, and a wonderful friend to me,” Nordenberg said. “Among many other accomplishments, he helped create an institutional culture that fostered levels of collaboration between Pitt and CMU that are unique in the world of higher education. That spirit of cooperation has made both institutions stronger and has provided a distinctive form of strength to the region.”

Among many other contributions he made as CMU’s president, Cohon enhanced his university’s commitment to innovation and expanded its global reach. Today, CMU has campuses in California’s Silicon Valley and Qatar and degree programs in Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and Latin America.

Cohon and Nordenberg served as the founding board chairs of a number of key technology-based economic development initiatives, including the Pittsburgh Digital Greenhouse, the Pittsburgh Robotics Foundry, the Pittsburgh Life Sciences Greenhouse, and the Technology Collaborative. They were jointly honored as “Pittsburghers of the Year” by Pittsburgh Magazine in 2002, as Persons of Vision by Pittsburgh Vision Services in 2003, with the Kesher Award from the Edward and Rose Berman Hillel Jewish University Center in 2006, and with the Community Impact Award from the Pittsburgh Area Jewish Committee in 2012.

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Pictured above is Carnegie Mellon University President Jared L. Cohon.