Cecil O. Samuelson
| Cecil O. Samuelson, Jr. | |
|---|---|
Samuelson leading the April 2008 commencement exercises at BYU |
|
| First Quorum of the Seventy | |
| October 1, 1994 – October 1, 2011 | |
| Called by | Howard W. Hunter |
| End reason | Granted general authority emeritus status |
| Presidency of the Seventy | |
| August 15, 2001 – April 5, 2003 | |
| Called by | Gordon B. Hinckley |
| End reason | Honorably released to become president of BYU |
| Emeritus General Authority | |
| October 1, 2011 – incumbent | |
| Called by | Thomas S. Monson |
| 12th President of Brigham Young University | |
| In office | |
| May 1, 2003 | |
| Preceded by | Merrill J. Bateman |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 1, 1941 Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Alma mater | University of Utah (B.S., M.Ed., M.D.) |
| Spouse | Sharon Giauque Samuelson |
| Website | Office of the President |
Cecil Osborn Samuelson, Jr. is the 12th and current president of Brigham Young University (BYU) and is an emeritus general authority of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Prior to holding these positions, Samuelson had worked as a professor of medicine and later dean of the school of medicine at the University of Utah, and senior vice president of Intermountain Health Care.[1][2]
Samuelson served as a full-time LDS Church missionary to Scotland as a youth[3] and has continued church service in his adulthood—being appointed to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1994, and while a general authority he served as an Area President, as one of the seven presidents of the Seventy, and as the general president of the church's Sunday School organization.[3]
While serving in the LDS North America West Area Presidency, Samuelson was a signatory to a May 11, 1999 letter to all adult congregants in California in advance of voting on Proposition 22. The letter advised LDS members in California to "do all you can by donating your means and time to assure a successful vote." [4][5]
President Samuelson began his administration as President of BYU with a call for the faculty to "raise the bar" in their expectations of students. He also initiated a revamping of Student Housing to allow it to better augment the goals of the university. President Samuelson gave a talk in September 2007 to BYU students on the theme "The Year of the Constitution". In his talk he stated that the Constitution of the United States is not complete yet, and must be altered to adapt to a changing world. He also stated, in agreement with the doctrine of LDS Church, that the Constitution is a divinely inspired document.[6][7]
He holds a bachelors, a master's degree, and an M.D. from the University of Utah and completed his residency at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina.[1]
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Samuelson at April 2008 BYU Commencement with Elaine S. Dalton, W. Rolfe Kerr, and David A. Bednar.
[edit] References
- ^ a b "News of the Church: Elder Cecil O. Samuelson, Jr. Of the Seventy". Ensign (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints): 103–112. November 1994. http://lds.org/ensign/1994/11/news-of-the-church?lang=eng. Retrieved May 4, 2009.
- ^ BYU - Cecil O. Samuelson
- ^ a b Cecil O. Samuelson, Jr., General Authority
- ^ AP (5 July 1999). "LDS urged to back a ban on gay marriage". Deseret News.
- ^ "Proposition 22 Dominates California Wards' Attention, Divides Members" (PDF). Sunstone (Sunstone Education Foundation): pp. 86–92. April 2001. http://www.sunstoneonline.com/magazine/issues/118/118-86-95.pdf. Retrieved 2008-05-19.[dead link]
- ^ The Year of the Constitution
- ^ BYU News - Release
He is a Brother of Pi Kappa Alpha International Fraternity
[edit] External links
Media related to Cecil O. Samuelson at Wikimedia Commons- BYU bio of Samuelson
- U.S. Constitution Divinely influenced
- The Year of the Constitution
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Merrill J. Bateman |
President of BYU 2003– Present |
Succeeded by incumbent |
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- 1941 births
- Living people
- American Latter Day Saints
- American physicians
- American university and college presidents
- Duke Medical School alumni
- General Presidents of the Sunday School (LDS Church)
- Members of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- People from Salt Lake City, Utah
- Presidents of Brigham Young University
- Presidents of the seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
- University of Utah Medical School alumni
- University of Utah faculty
- 20th-century Mormon missionaries
- Mormon missionaries in Scotland