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By Mark Wright
BYU Commencement Honorees All Have LDS Ties
PROVO, UTAH -- Today, as part of BYU's Spring Commencement Exercises,
there were 3 honorary doctorate degrees awarded to three people with
very different backgrounds. While not transparently obvious in all
cases, these three individuals are also tied together by a connection
to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The first honoree's LDS connection is the obvious one. Elder Joseph
B. Wirthlin, of the Council of the Twelve Apostles, was awarded a
Doctorate of Christian Service. Elder Wirthlin was born on June 11,
1917 to Joseph L. and Madeline Bimer Wirthlin and married Elisa Young
Rogers on married May 26, 1941. Elder Wirthlin, a favorite conference
speaker known for his great compassion, has a long and distinguished
career in the service of the Church, culminating with his call to be
an Apostle on October 9, 1986.
Next, the Honorable Tom Lantos (D-Calif.) received a Doctorate of
Humane Letters. Lantos is the only Holocaust survivor to serve as a
member of the U.S. Congress. Lantos's journey from his humble
beginnings in war-torn Hungary to the halls of Congress is
remarkable. Born in 1928 to Jewish parents, Lantos escaped from a
forced-labor brigade and was rescued from the tragedy of war by
Swedish diplomat Raoul Wallenberg. Lantos has channeled his personal
experiences with oppression into a significant effort improve the
nature of the world. Currently serving as co-chair of the
Congressional Task Force Against Anti-Semitism, Lantos is well-known
as a staunch advocate for human rights. Lantos has established a
friendship with the exiled Dalai Lama and is working to establish
freedom from Chinese rule for the people of Tibet. A self-described
secular Jew, Lantos' background doesn't include any obvious
references to the LDS Church. However, Lantos has two daughters, both
of whom have joined the LDS Church and are presently married to
members of the Church.
Finally, John William "Jack" Gallivan was granted a Doctorate of
Public Service. Long associated with the Salt Lake Tribune, Gallivan
became publisher emeritus of The Salt Lake Tribune in 1984. He
started working with The Salt Lake Tribune in 1937, following his
graduation from Notre Dame. A longtime activist in community and
public service organizations and charities, Gallivan has previously
been awarded honorary doctorates from the University of Utah,
Southern Utah University and Westminster College. Gallivan's
connection to the Church is somewhat esoteric, but certainly of note
given the current state of affairs at the Salt Lake Tribune. While
publisher, Gallivan was responsible for assisting in the creation of
the Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) that governs the publication and
relationship between both of Salt Lake's major newspapers, the
Tribune and the Church-owned Deseret News. As previously reported in
Mormon News, the JOA is now the subject of several lawsuits between
the Tribune and the Deseret News and both papers are digging in for a
long fight involving both operations and ownership of the papers.
United for only a moment in time, Wirthlin, Lantos, and Gallivan are
each individuals of achievement who simultaneously arrived on the
stage of BYU through the serendipitous crossing of their pathways
through life.
Sources:
Holocaust survivor, Latter-day Saint Apostle, Utah businessman honored at BYU Commencement Exercises April 26
BYU Press Release 17Apr01 D3
BYU to honor Salt Lake Tribune publisher emeritus at graduation
BYU NewsNet 17Apr01 D3
By Mary Dondiego: NewsNet Staff Writer
Lantos's list
Jerusalem Post 13Apr01 P2
By Janine Zacharia
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