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Mark A. Angelson

Honorary Degree Recipient: Doctor of Humane Letters

Mark Angelson, glasses, black blazer, white button down shirt, tie.
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Rutgers is proud to bestow upon Mark A. Angelson an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Angelson is the chair of the Institute of International Education, the nonpartisan world leader in international education and scholar rescue that administers the Fulbright Scholarships for the U.S. Department of State and hundreds of other programs from offices around the globe. Angelson also serves in the Executive Office of the President of the United States as a member of the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board. 

Angelson has served as chair of Rutgers University’s Board of Governors (currently serves as board vice chair and as chair of the board Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics) and as chair of Rutgers’ 2019-2020 Presidential Search Committee. Angelson graduated from Rutgers College, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and from Rutgers Law School. He is a member of the Rutgers Hall of Distinguished Alumni.

During his long career, Angelson has served as the deputy mayor of the City of Chicago; CEO of RR Donnelley; chair and CEO of two prominent Canadian public companies; chair of MidOcean Partners, an international investment firm; vice chair of Chancery Lane Capital; and vice chair of the Biden Foundation from its inception until its dissolution. He previously had a lengthy and distinguished career as an international lawyer in Singapore, New York, and London. 

When Angelson stepped down as deputy mayor in 2012, Mayor Rahm Emanuel stated, “I am grateful to Mark Angelson for his selfless dedication and tireless commitment to the people of Chicago in his role as Deputy Mayor. Mark's outstanding efforts facilitated the creation of tens of thousands of jobs for Chicagoans, unprecedented cooperation with labor unions, the rebirth of World Business Chicago, and the launch of the largest municipal wellness program in the United States, among other initiatives….his work will pay dividends for years to come.”

Upon Angelson’s retirement as CEO of RR Donnelley in 2007, non-executive board chair Stephen Wolf stated, “Mark Angelson moves on with our thanks and our high regard. Since 2003, we have more than doubled revenues, profits, and shareholder value. Mark led this successful effort, assembled our superb management team for the future, and delivered on his promise to return our company to its leadership position.”

Angelson is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and its membership committee; the Pilgrims (New York and London); the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures, and Commerce; and the Economic Club of New York. He is a Life Trustee of Northwestern University and adjunct professor of Mergers and Acquisitions at Northwestern’s Kellogg School of Management. He is the coauthor (with Dr. Allan Goodman) of several articles on the efficacy of rescuing threatened professors and rebuilding national academies the world over. 

Angelson is the recipient an honorary doctorate of laws from the John Marshall Law School and the Harold H. Hines Award from the United Negro College Fund. He and Lynn, his wife of 43 years, are the proud parents of three adult daughters, who in turn have given them three splendid grandchildren, and counting.