Muskingum News

Muskingum College granted master’s degrees at its graduate commencement exercises, held May 7 in Brown Chapel on the campus. The address was delivered by 1969 alumnus Robert A. Boardman, retired senior vice president and general counsel of Navistar International Corporation.

Degrees conferred at the commencement exercises were the master of arts in teaching (MAT), the master of arts in education (MAE) and the first recipients of the college’s master of information strategy, systems and technology degree (MISST).

Muskingum College President Anne C. Steele congratulated the assembled graduates and said, “You have worked hard, and we are very proud of you. What you have done here will have an impact on thousands of individuals, your communities and the world.”

President Steele also congratulated the first group of candidates to receive their MISST degree and said, “You will have a significant impact on your workplace and on the future of business and commerce in this nation, and you are to be congratulated on your achievement.”

In his address, Mr. Boardman told the graduates, “In these challenging times, keep these priorities in your life: Listen beyond the words you hear, think beyond your own thoughts, respect others and keep a sense of balance in your life. Center your life on hope, not fear.”

In recognition of his lifetime of achievement, the college bestowed upon Mr. Boardman an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. It was presented by Dr. Steele and Muskingum College Trustee and alumnus Gordon E. Spillman.

Mr. Boardman served as senior vice president and general counsel of Navistar International Corporation from 1990 until his retirement in 2004. He was responsible for all environmental and legal matters for the company, whose revenues grew to more than $10 billion annually during his tenure. Headquartered in Chicago, Illinois, Navistar was formerly known as International Harvester Company, and is a global leader in the manufacture of trucks, buses and diesel engines. Mr. Boardman previously served as vice president and corporate secretary of Johns Manville Corporation, a multinational building products corporation headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
Mr. Boardman has returned often to Muskingum to share the experiences of his 30-year corporate law career with current students, including as Distinguished Visiting Professor of Legal Ethics in 2005. His lecture topics included environmental manufacturing, business ethics, and corporate reorganization.

Currently, Mr. Boardman is a partner in RSB Property Development, LLC, a real estate and home building business, is the president of the Board of Directors of Salt Creek Ballet and is pursuing a master’s degree in history at DePaul University. A native of Akron, Mr. Boardman earned his bachelor of arts in economics from Muskingum and his Juris Doctorate from Case Western Reserve University Law School.

Candidates for master’s degrees were presented by Vice President of Academic Affairs Dr. Paul Reichardt. The degrees were conferred by President Steele, Muskingum College Trustee and alumnus Gordon Spillman, Dean of Graduate and Continuing Studies Dr. Ruthann Fagan, Graduate Teacher Education Program Director Dr. Linda Morrow and Dr. Raymond Rataiczak, director of the MISST program.

Faculty marshals were Professor of Education Dr. Steve Kokovich and Professor of English Dr. Alan J. Chaffee. The graduate marshals were Linda C. Campbell and Joshua B. Eno.

IN THE PHOTO: Robert A. Boardman '69, retired senior vice president and general counsel of Navistar International Corporation.