University to award honorary doctorates
to Lt. Gen. William Phillips,
Madam Xu Lin of China’s Confucius Institutes
MURFREESBORO — An Army three-star general from Bell Buckle, Tenn., and a top
education official from China will receive honorary doctorates from MTSU and will
address graduates during commencement exercises May 10.
MTSU alumnus Lt. Gen.
William Phillips, who was most recently stationed at the Pentagon as director
of the Army’s Acquisition Corps, will be honored and speak at MTSU’s afternoon commencement.
Madam Xu Lin of China,
a vice minister of education and director-general of the worldwide network of
Confucius Institutes, will be honored and speak at the morning ceremonies.
“We are proud to
recognize and welcome these accomplished individuals,” said President Sidney A.
McPhee, who announced the honors during a speech Tuesday at the Murfreesboro
Rotary Club.
“General Phillips, a
proud member of the Blue Raider ROTC battalion, charted a career in service of
our nation that found him responsible for billions of dollars of purchases to
equip and ready our soldiers across the globe,” McPhee said.
“And Madam Xu has been
a committed partner and friend to our university’s efforts to create academic
partnerships and cultural exchanges between China and our country.”
This will mark only the
third and fourth honorary doctorates presented by MTSU, with the first two
presented last year to former U.S. Congressman Bart Gordon and the late Nobel
laureate James M. Buchanan, both MTSU alumni.
From February 2010 to
this month, Phillips served as the principal military deputy to the assistant
secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology. He will retire
from the Army later this summer after 38 years of service.
“Bill's tremendous vision, leadership, and dedication to excellence
has ensured our beloved soldiers fighting on behalf of the nation have always
had and will continue to have well into the future, the most technologically
advanced and reliable equipment whenever and wherever they need it most,” said U.S.
Rep. John Carter in a House speech honoring Phillips.
Carter, R-Texas, a member of the House Appropriations Subcommittee
on Defense, called Phillips “a true champion for soldier's and their families …
His efforts have proven to be exponential and his example unwavering.”
Phillips
graduated from MTSU in 1976 with a bachelor’s degree. He received a master’s
degree in procurement and materials management from Webster University and a
master’s of personnel management from Troy State University. He is a graduate
of Command and General Staff College, Defense Systems Management College, and
Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
His awards
include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal,
Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Meritorious Service Medal, Army
Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Iraq Campaign Medal and
Army Staff Identification Badge. In 2001, he was named the Army's Acquisition
Commander of the Year.
Xu leads the Chinese Language
Council International (Hanban) and serves as chief executive of the Confucius
Institute Headquarters in Beijing. During Xu’s tenure, the organization has
experienced tremendous growth. Since 2004, it has expanded to more than 120
countries with more than 440 Confucius Institutes and 650 Confucius Classrooms.
The organization has reached more than 850,000 students across the world.
“Under Xu’s leadership,
Hanban has been committed to making Chinese language and culture teaching
resources and services available to the world, meeting the demands of overseas
Chinese learners, and contributing to the formation of a world of cultural
diversity and harmony,” McPhee said.
Xu received her undergraduate
degree in chemistry from Fudan University in Shanghai, China, and a master’s
degree from Beijing Normal University. Following her graduation from Fudan
University, she taught at Shanxi University, worked at the Higher Education
Bureau of Shanxi Province and the Central Educational Film Studio, China.
Xu has received numerous
awards, including the International Education Award from the College Board
(U.S.); the Order of Academic Palms–Officer’s Grade from the Government of
France; the Medal of Friendly Cooperation from the Government of the Kingdom of
Cambodia; the Outstanding Worker Award from the Ministry of Education (China);
and National May First Labor Medal (China).
She has been awarded honorary
doctoral degrees from the University of Arizona and Western Kentucky University
in the U.S., the University of Edinburgh in the United Kingdom, the University
of St. Thomas in Chile, Babeş-Bolyai University in Romania, Chulalongkorn
University in Thailand, Veliko Turnovo University in Bulgaria and J.F. Oberlin
University in Japan.
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