Buies Creek, N.C.-Dr. Edgar J. Boone, celebrated pioneer of adult and Community College education, received the honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Campbell University on Saturday, May 9. Boone accepted the award at Campbell’s spring commencement ceremony held in the university’s John W. Pope, Jr. Convocation Center.
“Pioneers are gifted individuals whose work opens new lines of thought and method and from whom others derive the inspiration to continue in the development of the original concept,” said Dr. Dwaine Greene, vice president for Academic Affairs and provost. “Edgar J. Boone is a pioneer. The influence of his work has profoundly changed Adult and Community College Education across our nation and around the globe.”
Boone graduated from Louisiana State University with a Bachelor of Science in vocational education and science. He earned Master of Science and Doctor of Philosophy degrees in higher adult education and sociology at the University of Wisconsin.
During his career in education, Boone served as an Extension Program Analyst and assistant professor at Louisiana State University, professor of education and State Extension Program leader at the University of Arizona and chair of the graduate program in the National Center for Advanced Study in Administration at the University of Wisconsin. From 1963 until 1991, Boone was a professor and department chair of Adult and Community College Education and assistant director of the Continuing Professional Education program for the North Carolina Cooperative Extension at North Carolina State University. He was appointed to the William Dallas Herring Distinguished Chair in 1995. Prior to his retirement in 1998, Boone served as director of the Academy for Community College Leadership Advancement, Innovation and Modeling at North Carolina State University. He currently holds the title of professor emeritus at North Carolina State.
A decorated scholar, Boone received the 1988 Distinguished Service Award from the USDA, the 1989 Epsilon Sigma Phi Ruby award, a Fulbright Scholar award and the American Association of Community College’s 1999 Leadership award. Boone was also inducted into the International Adult Education Hall of Fame.
He and his wife Ethel are the parents of two sons. They have three grandchildren.
Over 600 undergraduate students and graduate students from the Lundy-Fetterman School of Business and the School of Education received their degrees on Saturday, May 9. Separate hooding and graduation ceremonies for Campbell’s Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law, School of Pharmacy and the Divinity School were held on Friday, May 8, conferring an additional 228 graduate and professional degrees.
Photo Copy: Dr. Edgar J. Boone receives an honorary doctorate at Campbell University’s graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 9. (Photo by Bennett Scarborough)