(Posted November 16, 2010)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Stephen Morgan, president of the University of La Verne, in La Verne, Calif., received an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Juniata College at a ceremony Nov. 8, along with Theodore Long, president emeritus of Elizabethtown College.

Morgan took part in the ceremony prior to a lecture by Long on "Education for Global Citizenship." Morgan was on the Juniata campus to participate in the annual director's meeting for Brethren Colleges Abroad, a consortium of colleges and universities associated with the Church of the Brethren. Presidential representatives from four colleges attended the meeting: La Verne, Elizabethtown, Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va., and Manchester College in North Manchester, Ind.

Morgan became president of the University of La Verne in 1985, returning to the institution where in 1968 he earned his bachelor's degree. He went on to earn a master's degree in educational administration from the University of Southern California, and a doctoral degree in educational management from the University of Northern Colorado.

Since Morgan assumed the La Verne presidency, the university has increased its endowment from less than $1 million to $28 million and increased the university's assets to more than $100 million.

In addition, the university's College of Law, as well as its athletic training, legal studies, public administration and psychology doctoral programs, were nationally accredited. Under Morgan's administration, the university also increased the size of its campus, roughly doubling its acreage.

As chief executive, Morgan oversees nearly 600 faculty and staff and a student population of more than 8,000. Currently, the university's budget is about $118 million.

Morgan also remains active in his community. He is chair of the board of directors for the Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center and also serves as a director for the Los Angeles County Fair Association. He is on the executive committee of the Association of Independent Colleges and Universities and received recognition as Educator of the Year by the San Gabriel Valley Economic Partnership.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.