At Elmhurst University’s 154th commencement exercises on Saturday, May 24, honorary doctoral degrees will be awarded to alumna Judith Morley, a philanthropist, University trustee and retired partner of the William Blair global investment firm; and Robert Jans, a generous longtime donor to the University with a deep commitment to student veterans and military education.
Jans will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters and will deliver the commencement address at the ceremony for Elmhurst University’s graduate students. Morley also will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, and will give the commencement address at the graduation ceremony for Elmhurst’s undergraduate students.
Both of this year’s honorary degree recipients are deeply committed to the promise and impact of an Elmhurst education.
About Robert Jans
Jans, of Brookfield, is a retired businessman and civic leader. He has deep family connections to the University and is among its most generous donors. A longtime supporter of military education, he has served as chairman of the Defense Orientation Conference Association, a nonprofit that educates civic and business leaders on defense, foreign policy and national security issues.
In 2021, he and his brother, Elmhurst alumnus Tim Jans, gave Elmhurst University a $3.4 million gift for a comprehensive initiative to introduce more STEM students to careers in the military while also supporting student veterans on campus.
Later in 2021, the brothers were awarded the Founders Medal, one of the university’s most prestigious honors.
About Judith Morley
Before her retirement, Judith Morley (Class of 1969) was a principal with William Blair, a global investment banking and financial services company based in Chicago. She joined the company in 1991 and was among the first women invited to become a partner at the firm.
As a retiree living in Illinois and California, she has applied her skills to charitable endeavors, most notably for her church in California and for “Tools For Tomorrow,” which provides free after-school arts and music classes to needy children across the Coachella Valley.
She was a longtime trustee at Lincoln College in her hometown of Lincoln, Ill., and joined the Elmhurst University Board of Trustees in 2022.