Wayne State University President Irvin D. Reid has been selected by the Montclair State University Board of Trustees to receive a doctor of laws degree, honoris causa, during commencement ceremonies on May 9, 2003.

Reid served as Montclair State's seventh president from 1989 to 1997 leading the institution through a significant period of growth including the successful transformation to university status in 1994.

The board of trustees' official resolution recommending Reid for the honorary doctorate also notes his accomplishments while serving on behalf of Montclair State University: "Dr. Reid raised funding for significant capital projects, and provided outstanding leadership in several initiatives that strongly reinforced Montclair's premier stature among its higher education colleagues: global education, computerization of the curriculum and campus life, honors program and the new student experience (including an innovative Academic Success Center)."

During his presidency at Montclair, Reid was also instrumental in forming the state's first public-private partnership in the public sector to create the Yogi Berra Stadium and Floyd Hall Ice Arena while increasing the assets of the university's foundation.

"I fondly recall my tenure at Montclair State University," Reid said, "as both a period of great challenges and exciting growth. We, as an administration, faculty and staff, grappled with issues not uncommon to the higher education community today, yet the university initiatives moved forward with a strong emphasis on global education, campus life, technology and academic excellence. I am proud to have served such a fine university," Reid remarked.

In 1997 Reid left Montclair State to lead Wayne State as the ninth president of Michigan's third largest public university. During the first six years of his administration major initiatives have been launched including the institution's first major capital campaign; SmartZone designation; perinatology research branch of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) - the first NIH branch for health care established outside of the Washington, D.C. area, and significant facilities expansion in the campus area such as student residence halls; Welcome Center; Bookstore; Recreation and Fitness Center; Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences facility; major expansion of the law school building including the Spencer M. Partrich Auditorium and several other building improvements and capital projects.

Reid earned masters and doctoral degrees in business and applied economics with a specialty in marketing from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania. He also has bachelors and master's degrees in general/experimental psychology from Howard University and a certificate in educational administration from Harvard University.

Recently, Crain's Detroit Business named Reid a 2002 Newsmaker of the Year and he was also the recipient of the Michael P. Malone International Leadership Award from the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges. He was named by The Detroit News as one of 12 Outstanding Michiganians of the Year 2000, and he is a recipient of the Jewish National Fund's Tree of Life Award.

In 1995, he became the first recipient of the Austrian-American Medal, an honor accorded by the Austrian-American Council of North America for "exceptional service in promoting international understanding, global education, the support and advancement of individual human potential and work promoting world peace." In 1999, Howard University honored him with a Distinguished Postgraduate Achievement Award in the fields of education and administration.

Reid serves on the boards of many international, national, business and community service organizations, including the Michigan Life Sciences Corridor; Michigan Economic Development Corporation; Detroit Economic Growth Corporation; Greater Downtown Partnership; Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce; Detroit Urban League; Economic Club of Detroit; Michigan Opera Theatre; Detroit Symphony Orchestra; New Detroit; Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago-Detroit Branch and Detroit Council for World Affairs advisory board.

He is also chair of the Presidents' Council comprising the 15 public universities in the State of Michigan.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 13 schools and colleges to more than 31,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.