Jagdish Sheth to receive honorary degree from Illinois

Dr. Jagdish Sheth At this year’s university commencement ceremony, May 14, 2016, Dr. Jagdish Sheth will receive an honorary degree of Doctor of Science. Dr. Jagdish Sheth, Charles H. Kellstadt Professor of Marketing at Emory University, is a renowned scholar and internationally recognized thought leader. While a faculty member at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, he was the Walter H. Stellnar Distinguished Professor of Marketing and taught in the College of Business from 1969 to 1983, serving on numerous committees and helping to elevate the reputation of the marketing program to national and international levels. When he first came to Illinois, the College of Business – then known as the College of Commerce and Business Administration – was in a state of transition. The disciplines of marketing, organizational management, business law, and others had been consolidated into the Business Administration Department. Sheth Dr. Sheth, when he joined the faculty at Illinois in 1969 was made the acting head of this department shortly after joining the faculty. In his book, The Accidental Scholar, he writes that he worked to “consolidate[e] five separate disciplines into one cohesive department.” He served as acting department head from 1970 to 72, and again from 1978 to 1981, after the untimely death of his first successor, Ken Uhl. Among his many contributions to the College is the Executive MBA Program, which he helped establish in 1975. When he was not acting as an administrator, Sheth turned his attention to research and teaching. He has published more than 300 research papers and more than 30 books on various disciplines and topics. His insights on global competition, strategic thinking, geopolitics, and emerging markets are considered revolutionary. He is a regular guest on – and frequent commentator for – BBC, CNBC India, and CNN. A reception honoring Sheth will take place on Friday, May 13, 4:15 – 5:30 pm in 370 Wohlers Hall. Find more information about him here.