WU to give 3 honorary doctorates

Topeka Capital-Journal, The, May 6, 2008 by Mike Hall

By Mike Hall

THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

Honorary doctorates will be conferred on John R. Adams, Anderson W. Chandler and Bill Roy during Washburn University commencement exercises on Saturday, May 17.

Adams will receive a doctor of humane letters during the 4:30 p.m. commencement of the College of Arts and Sciences.

A registered architect, Adams is an owner of e architects, formerly Ekdahl, Davis, Depew, Persson Architects. He served as lead designer of the Henderson Learning Resources Center at WU and was involved in the design of the Fidelity Bank downtown, Topeka West High School and the original plan for WU's Stoffer Science Hall.

Adams has been a supporter of fine arts at Washburn for 20 years, and the student gallery at the art building is named in his honor. He has served on the boards of the Mulvane Art Museum and the Topeka Symphony. In 2006, he received the Outstanding Philanthropist Award from the American Fund-raising Professional Organization of Topeka.

Anderson W. Chandler will be designated a doctor of commerce during the 12:30 p.m. commencement at the School of Business.

Chandler has been chairman and president of Fidelity State Bank and Trust Co. of Topeka since 1958. He is a Topeka Business Hall of Fame Laureate and was designated by Ingram's Magazine of Kansas City as a business legend.

While a graduate of The University of Kansas, Chandler is a donor to Washburn University through his continued support of the Anderson Chandler/Fidelity State Bank Business Scholarship and as lead donor of the WU School of Business Technology Center. The Chandler Boardroom in the Center was christened in his honor.

Bill Roy will receive a doctor of public service as part of the 4:30 p.m. commencement at the College of Arts and Sciences.

Roy practiced medicine in Kansas from 1955 to 1989, except for the years 1971-75, when he represented the 2nd District in the U.S. House of Representatives. His service to the community includes terms on the Kansas Board of Regents and the Washburn Board of Regents, and since 2004, he has volunteered as an honorary visiting professor of political science and leadership at Washburn.

He received a medical degree from Northwestern Medical School and a juris doctor degree from the Washburn University School of Law.

Mike Hall can be reached at (785) 295-1209 or mike.hall@cjonline.com.