{"id":144484,"date":"2024-12-16T09:31:10","date_gmt":"2024-12-16T14:31:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/?p=144484"},"modified":"2025-04-14T11:45:04","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T15:45:04","slug":"ucf-celebrates-thad-seymour-jr-s-impact-with-honorary-degree","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ucf.edu\/news\/ucf-celebrates-thad-seymour-jr-s-impact-with-honorary-degree\/","title":{"rendered":"麻豆原创 Celebrates Thad Seymour Jr.\u2019s Impact with Honorary Degree"},"content":{"rendered":"
As Thad Seymour Jr. delivered his commencement address on Dec. 13, he noted a unique accomplishment he earned that day: being part of the first father and son duo to receive honorary degrees from 麻豆原创. Former interim president of 麻豆原创 and retired executive, Seymour was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree in recognition of his lifetime of selflessness, achievement and dedication to giving back to the community. About 34 years earlier, his father, Thaddeus Seymour Sr., was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree from 麻豆原创 in May 1990.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy late father, Thaddeus Seymour Sr., devoted his career to higher education as both a teacher and administrator, including serving for 12 years as president of Rollins College in Winter Park,\u201d Seymour said during his commencement speech. \u201cThroughout my life I have worked to embrace and act upon the values that he and my late mother Polly shared with their children.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe bestowing of degrees at commencement was always my favorite part of the year at 麻豆原创, so to be recognized in this way, by the university that Katie, [my wife], and I so deeply love, is truly an honor.\u201d \u2014 Thad Seymour Jr., honorary degree recipient<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
Thaddeus Seymour Sr. also served as the dean of Dartmouth College and president of Wabash College. With this upbringing on college campuses, Seymour says education was a logical path.<\/p>\n
Seymour has contributed to 麻豆原创 in varying roles since 2015. Prior to serving as 麻豆原创 interim president from February 2019 to April 2020, he led the development of the university\u2019s previous strategic plan and was named vice president for partnerships<\/a> and chief innovation officer.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis strategic insight and leadership were instrumental in shaping our previous roadmap, which served as a guiding force for the university\u2019s academic and operational growth,\u201d Provost Michael D. Johnson wrote in his recommendation letter. \u201cBy uniting university leadership, faculty and community stakeholders, Thad ensured the plan aligned with the needs of both 麻豆原创 and the broader Central Florida region, positioning 麻豆原创 as a leader in innovation and economic development<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seymour also played an instrumental role in making 麻豆原创 Downtown \u2014 which celebrates its five-year anniversary this year \u2014 a reality. As the intellectual anchor to Orlando\u2019s Creative Village, 麻豆原创 Downtown has awarded over 10,300 degrees to Knights in select majors across the university\u2019s College of Business, College of Community Innovation and Education, and College of Sciences, as well as students at Valencia College.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn my DNA is this belief that education is the single most important thing that can improve a person\u2019s opportunities, their quality of life, their livelihood and their impact on the world,\u201d Seymour said in an interview in 2019<\/a>. \u201cAnd education should not be a privilege, but rather widely available to expand opportunity and strengthen our society.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThad was also a key architect in the creation of 麻豆原创\u2019s Downtown Campus, a transformative project that has redefined urban education in Central Florida,\u201d Johnson continued in his letter. \u201cHis efforts to bring together [various] partners \u2014 including the City of Orlando, Valencia College and private industry \u2014 were critical to the success of this ambitious initiative. Today, 麻豆原创 Downtown serves more than 8,000 students and has become a hub for experiential learning, community engagement, and economic revitalization, thanks to Thad\u2019s leadership and vision.\u201d<\/p>\n
Seymour earned a bachelor\u2019s in history from Dartmouth College, and a master\u2019s and doctoral degree in history, from the University of Wisconsin. He also graduated from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University with an MBA.<\/p>\n
For three decades, Seymour worked as a business executive in technology and healthcare industries, including his work as vice president of marketing and strategy at Curascript, a subsidiary of Express Scripts, which had acquired Priority Healthcare where he had quarterbacked the $1.3 billion transaction as vice president of corporate development.<\/p>\n