Hugh Sherman Receives Honorary Doctorate from University of Pécs
The College of Business’ dean and Corlett Chair of Strategy was presented with the honorary degree in November and addressed the university’s graduating class.
Professor Hugh Sherman first visited the University of Pécs in the spring of 1995 with a group of Ohio University MBA students. Nearly 25 years later, he returned to the Hungarian university again as the dean of OHIO's top-ranked business program to receive an honorary doctorate for his significant contributions to the two institutions’ lasting partnership.
“I am truly honored and humbled to receive this degree,” Sherman said in his acceptance speech at the fall commencement ceremony. “I accept it as a celebration of our 28 year partnership.”
Since Sherman's first first, hundreds of students and faculty from OHIO and the University of Pécs have worked together on academic pursuits and scholarly work. Over the last year faculty from both universities have participated in exchanges to support faculty research.
“Over the last few years, with his support we could revitalize our partnership and could expand the scope from the summer program to other educational and scientific programs involving more than 30 faculty members from the two schools,” said Dr. Krisztián Szücs, who was a second-year student at the time of Sherman’s first visit to the university.
Szücs would go on to become a joint summer program participant, earn his Ph.D. in marketing from the University of Pécs, and rise through the ranks to become vice dean of the university’s Faculty of Business and Economics. “It is my great honor to be your promoter today… and I am very glad that in the last few years I had the opportunity to work together with you in developing our partnership,” he said during the ceremony.
At the event Dr. Sherman also gave remarks about reimagining higher education to the audience which included his wife, Nikki. “So, can universities reshape themselves to meet the needs of society?” asked Sherman. “One can argue that as an institution that was created for and is supported by society, it is our moral and ethical responsibility to change.” A video of his comments and the full ceremony can be found on YouTube.
Dr. Sherman’s accolade comes as he enters his final semester as dean of the College of Business. In June 2019, Sherman announced his intent to step down as dean after serving in that role for the past 13 years. During his time as dean the college has experienced tremendous growth in enrollment, improvements in the student experience, and external recognition through college and program rankings. Sherman intends to continue teaching at OHIO after a new dean is hired in 2020.