Olympian, Champion of Drug-Free Athletics Edwin Moses Receives Honorary Degree

The University of Massachusetts Boston today honored Edwin Moses with the degree of doctor of science, honoris causa at its 41st commencement ceremonies.

Boston (Advertiser Talk) 14-Oct-2009 — The University of Massachusetts Boston today honored Edwin Moses with the degree of doctor of science, honoris causa at its 41st commencement ceremonies. Moses is honored for his outstanding contributions as an Olympian, champion of drug-free athletics, motivational speaker, and chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, an organization that promotes sporting activities for youth worldwide for the purpose of social change.

Two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Edwin Moses raises his honorary doctor of science degree presented to him by University of Massachusetts Chancellor J. Keith Motley (left) and UMass President Jack Wilson during commencement ceremonies

Edwin Moses is more than an Olympic athlete — he is a visionary who leverages his abilities, education, and understanding to inspire others UMass Boston is a university with a long history of developing individuals and a community through athletics. We admire the work and spirit of Edwin Moses. to promote and increase participation in sport at every level, and also to promote the use of sport as a tool for social change around the world. “Edwin Moses is more than an Olympic athlete — he is a visionary who leverages his abilities, education, and understanding to inspire others,” said Chancellor Keith Motley. “UMass Boston is a university with a long history of developing individuals and a community through athletics. We admire the work and spirit of Edwin Moses.” Moses won gold medals in the 400 meter hurdles at the 1976 and 1984 Olympics, and a bronze in 1988. Winning 122 consecutive races between 1977 and 1987, he set track and field records that stood unsurpassed for many years. In 1994 he was inducted into the U.S. Track and Field Hall of Fame. Today he is equally known for his strenuous fight against the use of performance-enhancing drugs in sports.

Moses developed and advocated for the Athletes’ Trust Fund, which allows amateur athletes to withdraw funds for training and other expenses without jeopardizing their Olympic eligibility. His philanthropic involvement includes the Hughes Spaulding Children’s Medical Center, the College Fund, the Special Olympics, UNICEF, 100 Black Men of America, and the Inner-City Games.

Since 2000 Mr. Moses has been chairman of the Laureus World Sports Academy, whose mission is “to promote and increase participation in sport at every level, and also to promote the use of sport as a tool for social change around the world.”

A financial consultant with the Salomon Smith Barney Group, Moses is also a professional motivational speaker. He shares the stories of his academic and athletic triumphs as allegories to achieving excellence. His energy and motivation offer perspective-changing insight into how to achieve success. His message to anyone with a dream is this: There is no hurdle that cannot be overcome.

Others honored at UMass Boston’s 41st Commencement include main speaker Senator John Kerry, and honorary degree recipients Joe Kennedy, founder of Citizen’s Energy Corporation, and Sister Margaret Leonard, founder of Project Hope. About UMass Boston With a growing reputation for innovative research addressing complex urban issues, the University of Massachusetts Boston, metropolitan Boston’s only public university, offers its diverse student population both an intimate learning environment and the rich experience of a great American city. UMass Boston’s seven colleges and graduate schools serve more than 14,000 students while engaging local, national, and international constituents through academic programs, research centers, and public service activities. To learn more about UMass Boston, visit www.umb.edu.

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