On behalf of Shenandoah University, President Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., recently conferred an honorary doctorate degree to Malaysia’s Prime Minister, Anwar bin Ibrahim, in early April.
Anwar was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from Shenandoah University in recognition of his leadership and commitment to public service. Dr. Fitzsimmons, who traveled to Malaysia with a group of Shenandoah representatives that included faculty, staff, students and a Board of Trustees member, presented the honorary doctorate to Anwar on Friday, April 11, at the International Islamic University Malaysia’s campus in Gombak.
Anwar, Malaysia’s 10th prime minister, assumed office in 2022 and is highly regarded for his stance against corruption and injustice, and for his efforts to establish democracy in Malaysia. The president of the People’s Justice Party, Anwar previously served as Malaysia’s deputy prime minister and finance minister in the 1990s, and played a prominent role in guiding the country’s response to the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis. In 1998, he initiated the Reformasi political movement, which sought to reform Malaysia’s federal government and pushed for social equality and social justice in the country.
Beginning in 1998, Anwar was twice imprisoned and spent nearly 10 years as a political prisoner. He received a full pardon of all of the crimes alleged against him in 2018; once freed, he continued to call for democratic reforms.
On behalf of Shenandoah University, I’m honored to award an honorary doctorate to Prime Minister Anwar bin Ibrahim in recognition of his unwavering commitment to justice and equality, even in the face of tremendous adversity. His dedication to public service and to making a positive impact on society is reflective of our university’s values, and is an inspiration to our students and to anyone who strives to make lasting contributions to our world. I commend the Prime Minister for his remarkable leadership, and for his passion for fostering understanding between people from different religions and income groups.”
Tracy Fitzsimmons, Ph.D., Shenandoah University president
In addition to his political career, Anwar has held key positions at various institutions and organizations all over the world. He served on the board of directors for the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and as president of the UNESCO General Conference; was chairman of the Development Committee of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund; and was a distinguished visiting professor and Malaysia Chair at the Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding at Georgetown University.
Since 2019, Anwar has been the honorary chairman of the Center for Islam in the Contemporary World (CICW) at Shenandoah University. He is currently also chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
Accompanying Fitzsimmons on the trip to Malaysia were M. Yaqub Mirza, Ph.D., a member of Shenandoah University’s Board of Trustees and president of the CICW; Eric Leonard, Ph.D., Henkel Family Endowed Chair in International Affairs and professor of political science; Younus Mirza, Ph.D., director of the Barzinji Institute for Global Virtual Learning at Shenandoah; and political science students Liberty Tennyson ’25, Emily Swartzbaugh ’27, Madison Roggenkamp ’27, Alison Griffith ’27, Tarick Kamara ’26, and Benjamin Rayburn ’25.
During the official ceremony, attended by state dignitaries and university officials, Dr. Leonard presented the honorary degree citation to the prime minister and Dr. Yaqub Mirza hooded the honoree. Griffith served as master of ceremonies, announcing each speaker and introducing the prime minister.
During the weeklong trip, the Shenandoah delegation engaged in dialogue with students and faculty from IIUM, and learned about Malaysia’s culture, politics and economy. Shenandoah University has a long-established relationship with IIUM and frequently collaborates with the institution on Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) programming through the Barzinji Institute.
Shenandoah University awards only one or two honorary degrees each year. Past recipients have included former U.S. President Gerald Ford and dancer/choreographer Mikail Baryshnikov.
