NevadaToday

University honors its best ... virtually

Honor the Best ceremony takes place remotely, still features all the special moments

September 03, 2020
John Trent

University honors its best ... virtually

Honor the Best ceremony takes place remotely, still features all the special moments

September 03, 2020
John Trent

There were names that were honored, names that numbered well into the three figures and spoke to University achievements of the highest order.

There were light moments, such as when the master of ceremonies, Provost Kevin Carman, admitted to binge-watching over the weekend Nat Geo WILD’s series, “Monster Fish,” starring Zeb Hogan, a professor of Biology at the University and one of the people who were honored on Wednesday.

There were touching moments, such as when President Marc Johnson, who has served as president for a decade and will step down at the end of December, received a special award presented by Vice President of Student Services Shannon Ellis – burnished wood from the foundation of the very first building ever built in on campus, Morrill Hall – for his service to the University.

There was all of this, and a lot more, during the University’s annual “Honor the Best” ceremony, which for the first time in its 50-year history was held remotely.

It was a ceremony that, Carman noted at the beginning where congratulations were welcomed by those who were attending remotely, provided the audience sent congratulations “via the chat feature.” In all, there were dozens of congratulations offered via chat from colleagues, friends, students and family members.

“Those we are honoring today are a shining example of what we stand for,” Carman said, adding that the accomplishments of the Honor the Best recipients were “awe-inspiring.”

Johnson, in his remarks, congratulated all of the award winners “… for the excellence they represent, and the humanity they embody.

“This is an awards celebration that dates back to 1970. For 50 years, come rain or shine or come pandemic, we’ve gathered together. Either in person or virtually, we’ve said ‘thank you’ to those who have displayed the dedication and commitment that makes our institution such a special place. May the good work and good fortune that you experience today continue for years to come.”

Ellis, in her remarks about Johnson, said that beginning with Johnson’s time as interim president in 2011 following the death of President Milt Glick, the University’s 16^th chief executive had helped the University “weather” a terrible economic recession, enjoy a more prosperous period of unprecedented period of growth and achievement, while now facing another challenge – the COVID-19 pandemic.

Said Ellis: “So every time any one of us teaches, works, meets in one of the many new buildings while he has been our president, or if we gloat over a high academic ranking, or we enjoy the offerings of the many new faculty we’ve been able to hire while he’s been president, or enjoy the largest and most diverse student body we have ever enrolled, we will think of you, Marc Johnson. Thank you.”

Johnson, clearly moved, thanked the University for the honor. He noted that his time as president had been a team effort. And, in the style of the moment – and of the year 2020 in general – he celebrated by bumping elbows with Carman and Ellis.

Honorees included (student award winners were honored at a separate ceremony, held remotely, in May):