Cecil O. Samuelson
Encyclopedia
Cecil Osborn Samuelson, Jr. is the 12th and current president of Brigham Young University
(BYU) and has been a general authority
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1994. 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.
Samuelson served as a full-time LDS Church missionary
to Scotland
as a youth and has continued church service in his adulthood—being appointed to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1994, and also serving 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.
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."
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.
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
.
Brigham Young University
Brigham Young University is a private university located in Provo, Utah. It is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , and is the United States' largest religious university and third-largest private university.Approximately 98% of the university's 34,000 students...
(BYU) and has been a general authority
General authority
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , a general authority is a member of certain leadership organizations who are given administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church...
of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) since 1994. 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
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
, and senior vice president of Intermountain Health Care.
Samuelson served as a full-time LDS Church missionary
Missionary (LDS Church)
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the most active modern practitioners of missionary work, with over 52,000 full-time missionaries worldwide, as of the end of 2010...
to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
as a youth and has continued church service in his adulthood—being appointed to the First Quorum of the Seventy in 1994, and also serving as an Area President, as one of the seven presidents of the Seventy, and as the general president of the church's Sunday School
Sunday School (LDS Church)
Sunday School is an official auxiliary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints . All members of the church and any interested nonmembers, age 12 and older, are encouraged to participate in Sunday School.-Purpose:...
organization.
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
California Proposition 22 (2000)
Proposition 22 was a law enacted by California voters in March 2000 to restrict marriages to only those between opposite-sex couples. In May 2008 it was struck down by the California Supreme Court as contrary to the state constitution....
. The letter advised LDS members in California to "do all you can by donating your means and time to assure a successful vote."
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.
He holds a bachelors, a master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
, and an M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
from the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
and completed his residency
Residency (medicine)
Residency is a stage of graduate medical training. A resident physician or resident is a person who has received a medical degree , Podiatric degree , Dental Degree and who practices...
at Duke University Medical Center in Durham
Durham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
, North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
.
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