Legendary USU Basketball Coach to Speak at University's 128th Commencement

Utah State University announces that Stew Morrill, retiring head coach of the USU men’s basketball team, will serve as the commencement speaker for its 128th graduation ceremony. Morrill will also receive an honorary doctorate during the ceremony.

Two other prominent individuals will also receive honorary doctorates during the undergraduate ceremony May 2 at the Dee Glen Smith Spectrum in Logan.

“We are honored that Stew has accepted our invitation to address our graduating students this year,” said USU President Stan L. Albrecht. “Stew is an icon who has made many contributions, not only to Aggie Athletics, but the university as a whole. Generations of Aggie fans have witnessed his magic in the Spectrum and I believe that magic will resonate in his address to students and inspire them at this turning point in their lives.”

Morrill will receive an honorary doctorate along with Crystal Call Maggelet, co-founder of Crystal Inn and CEO and president of Flying J, and Richard L. Shipley, retired founder of Shipley Associates and member of the USU Foundation Board.  
 

Albrecht said honorary degrees are one of the most important ways the university has to recognize people for the commitment and sacrifices they have made to make positive changes in the world.

“All of these individuals have made their marks in a number of ways and in a number of fields, but all of them deserve honor for their passion and determination to serve others,” he said.

STEW MORRILL (Commencement Speaker and Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Utah State University head men’s basketball coach finishes his 17th year leading the Aggies’ program in the 2014-15 season. His retirement in March 2015 brings an end to the most successful era in Utah State basketball history.

In 29 seasons as a collegiate head coach, Morrill has established himself as one of the most respected coaches in the country. During the 2013-14 season, he became the 14th active Division I head coach and the 41st Division I head coach all-time with 600 wins. He became the Aggies' all-time winningest coach during the 2007-08 season and is also the school record holder in career games coached, currently at 542.

Morrill, who was hired as Utah State's 17th head in 1998, has led Utah State to seven conference championships, including four-straight in the Western Athletic Conference from 2008-11 and six conference postseason titles.

CRYSTAL CALL MAGGELET (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Crystal Call Maggelet is the co-founder of Crystal Inn, managing director of MacCall Management, the CEO and president of Flying J and a board member of Pilot Flying J.

Maggelet partnered with her father, Jay Call, to build the first Crystal Inn that opened in April 1994. A few months later, she and her husband, Chuck Maggelet, founded MacCall Management, a hotel development, ownership and management company. MacCall now owns and operates 14 properties, including 11 Crystal Inns.

Maggelet attended USU for two years and later transferred to Pepperdine, completing a bachelor’s in business. She later earned a master’s in business from Harvard.

RICHARD L. SHIPLEY (Honorary Doctorate Recipient)

Richard L. Shipley created Shipley Associates in 1972 and the company quickly and firmly established itself as the nation's leading writing training firm. The company served many Fortune 500 companies as well as many government agencies. Shipley Associates was sold to Franklin Quest for $23 million in 1994, at which time Shipley transferred to the corporate offices as a senior vice president. He retired in 1996.

Since retiring in 1996, Richard has served as a special assistant to the governor of Utah, helped organize the Utah Foster Care Foundation and participated in the governor's Health Policy Commission. He has also served as chair of the Great Salt Lake Interpretive Trust.

Shipley is a member of the USU Foundation Board and is a former member and chairman of USU’s Board of Trustees. He graduated from USU with bachelor’s and master's degrees in history and later completed a business degree at Harvard.

For more information on USU’s 128th Commencement, visit the commencement website.