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George P. Mitchell Receives Honorary Doctor of Letters
Degree
George P. Mitchell '40, received an
Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree from the Texas A&M University System, Texas
A&M University, and Texas A&M University at Galveston on Saturday, May 12, 2007
at the Spring 2007 Commencement Exercises for Texas A&M University at Galveston.
Dr. H. Joseph Newton, Dean of the College of Science and George P. Mitchell ’40
Chair in Statistics; Dr. Michael D McKinney, Chancellor of the Texas A&M
University System; and Dr. R. Bowen Loftin, Vice President and CEO of Texas A&M
University at Galveston presented Mr. Mitchell with a medal, ceremonial hood,
and Doctor of Letters honorary degree.
A 1940 graduate
of Texas A&M University, George P. Mitchell donated the first parcel of land on
Pelican Island that has today become the 135-acre Mitchell Campus (named in
honor of Mr. Mitchell's parents, Mike and Katina). As a long-time member of the
university’s Board of Visitors, he has helped guide the development of the
academic and research programs at Galveston.
In addition to
his general support of Texas A&M University, his specific focus on the sciences
has opened up vast new horizons for the University’s development as a physics
powerhouse. He has funded academic chairs at TAMUG and TAMU, attracted the
interest of world-renowned scientist Stephen Hawking and enabled Texas A&M to be
a partner in the Giant Magellan Telescope project. Recently, he helped fund the
construction of two physics facilities and a world class tennis center on the
main campus of Texas A&M.
Mr. Mitchell’s
wide-ranging investment in higher education has reached farther than Texas A&M
University. His extensive support and ability to bring together invaluable
strategic resources have benefited other universities and medical colleges. He
has helped establish research centers, chairs and grants to support the search
for solutions to some of the most critical health issues affecting our quality
of life.
The Mitchells’
commitment to community well-being has also had a tremendous impact. In their
hometown of Galveston, they have worked for and funded the revitalization and
redevelopment of Galveston’s historic Strand district. Their support has also
been instrumental in other development activities and programs for the
betterment of Galveston Island.
Mr. Mitchell
has fostered true communities. His vision of a master-planned
new town north of
Houston, The Woodlands, has become a model for community planning nationwide and
is leading the way to sustainability in real estate development in Texas. He
founded a center which sponsors conferences on environmental and global
growth-related issues. The Mitchell Prize was established to encourage research
into the relationship between the environment and population growth. Also, in
honor of the Mitchells, the National Academy of Sciences awards the George and
Cynthia Mitchell International Prize for Sustainable Development to recognize
scientific, technical or management contributions to sustainable development in
corporate settings.
In all his
endeavors, Mr. Mitchell has always been a true visionary. He has consistently
looked beyond the limits of others’ vision to see what could be. He has then
assembled and brought to bear the best minds he could find to help realize his
vision and has ensured that the necessary resources were made available.
Numerous awards and honors have been bestowed upon Mr. Mitchell for his
multitude of contributions to the nation and the world.
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