The University of Utah awarded an honorary doctoral degree Thursday night to President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints during the virtual commencement ceremony for the 8,442 graduates of the Salt Lake City school’s class of 2021.
President Nelson and injured Utah Jazz star Donovan Mitchell, who gave the keynote commencement address, both provided advice to graduates about overcoming adversity.
President Nelson, 96, noted in a videotaped message that he earned his bachelor’s degree at the university 76 years ago, followed by a medical degree two years later.
He helped pioneer open-heart surgery as a graduate student in Minnesota. He was the first to perform an open-heart operation west of the Mississippi. And he returned to the University of Utah as a faculty member and director of the thoracic surgery training program.
Two other honorary doctorates were awarded during the ceremony to:
- William J. Rutter, 93, a University of Utah alumnus known as the “father of biotechnology” for his groundbreaking contributions to DNA technology, insulin and vaccines. He is also the founder of Synergenics and co-founder of Chiron Corporation.
- Hope Eccles, a U. law graduate and longtime education advocate who has served the university and the community in numerous capacities, including serving nine years on the U. board of trustees.
President Nelson was a key member of the University of Minnesota team that in the 1950s developed the heart-lung machine, which for the first time allowed surgeons to stop the human heart and perform open-heart surgery as the machine circulated blood throughout the body while bypassing the heart.
President Nelson performed:
- The first open-heart surgery west of the Mississippi, in Utah in 1955, when the procedure was being done in only two other states.
- The first pediatric open-heart surgery in 1956.
- The first surgical intervention for tricuspid regurgitation, a disorder that allows blood to flow backward into the right upper heart chamber.
- A total of nearly 7,000 operations before his call to be an apostle in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and, in 2018, to be the church’s 17th president.
Christian Gardner, the chairman of the U. board of trustees, presented President Nelson’s video. He said:
“In consideration for his contributions to medical science during his distinguished career as a cardiac surgeon, and in recognition of his pioneering work as the first surgeon to perform open-heart surgery in Utah, thereby helping the state be among the first in the nation to successfully conduct open-heart surgery, and acknowledging this was possible because of a heart-lung machine that he built with the help of his late wife, Dantzel, and recognizing his achievements as a research professor and director of thoracic surgery residency at the University of Utah School of Medicine, where he trained generations of cardiac surgeons, and in recognition of his leadership in his profession, and his groundbreaking work in global health, and his compassionate service to others, the University of Utah, with the approval of its Board of Trustees, presents Russell M. Nelson with the honorary degree of Doctor of Science, with all the rights, privileges and honors thereto pertaining.”
The video included an interview with President Nelson about his life.
“There is opposition in everything you do,” President Nelson said. “One of the great tests in life is how do you deal with adversity. I’ve had the great sorrow of burying my wife and two of my precious daughters. Those have been challenges that have tested my ability to deal with hard things. You learn to deal with your challenges, make quick decisions, make good decisions, hopefully. I chose just to be in charge and try to do what’s right.”
The commencement keynote speaker was NBA All-Star Donovan Mitchell of the Utah Jazz.
President Nelson’s bachelor’s degree from the U. is more than three times older than Mitchell, 24, and he looked forward toward the adversity and obstacles graduates can expect in their futures similar to the way President Nelson looked back on those in his life.
“Hold the confidence that you can face tremendous uncertainty, but that you can adapt to the unexpected challenges,” Mitchell said. “When life brings you challenges, and puts you on the sideline, the question is how you handle it. How will you face adversity? Will you come back stronger? Will you give in to adversity? What will you do?”
Mitchell talked about rebounding from a broken wrist in high school. He also spoke openly about his yet-uncompleted college degree, though he earned first-team All-ACC Academic honors at the University of Louisville.
“You’ve all beat me to it by getting a college degree today, and that will definitely be part of my journey, to finish and complete my degree,” he said. “Basketball is great. It’s provided me with life-changing experiences for myself and my family, because at the end of the day, the air will run out of the basketball and all I will have to fall back on is my education. That’s something that will last me my whole life.”
Mitchell also told graduates not to compare themselves to what they see on social media.
“One of the most important things you can do for your own growth and success is deciding when to listen to feedback and when to not listen to feedback, and when to block out the so-called noise,” he said.
The Jazz star likened the next year of the graduates’ lives to his rookie year in the NBA and suggested they find mentors and friends to support them.
“Give it everything you got, but be kind to yourself,” he said. “If you need a little more practice and a chance to find your rhythm, don’t be afraid to ask questions. For me, my rookie year and to this day, I called on someone who is a big brother to me and now (is an) owner of the Jazz in Dwyane Wade. I asked him a million questions, just on how to become a better player and just be a better Donovan as a whole and help me achieve the things that I want to achieve ... similar to what he did in his career.”
The University of Utah has honored President Nelson in the past. He previously received the university’s Distinguished Alumni Award. In 2018, the U. created a presidential chair in cardiothoracic surgery in honor of President Nelson and his late wife, Dantzel.
The U.’s honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who have achieved distinction in academic pursuits, the arts, professions, business, government, civic affairs or in service to the university. The honorary degree committee, including representatives from the faculty, student body and board of trustees, reviews nominations and consults with an advisory group of faculty, staff and administrators.
The committee presents a group of finalists to the university president, who selects the recipients.
“Our honorary degree recipients have exemplified courage, vision and service in their professional careers and their personal lives,” said Kim Brunisholz, chair of the board of trustees’ honors committee, in a news release. “They have modeled excellence in character and lived up to the highest ideals of the University of Utah. We are delighted to show our appreciation with an honorary degree.”