Influential philanthropist, accomplished visual artist receives Western honorary degree
KALAMAZOO, Mich.—Western Michigan University awarded an honorary degree to Audrey Morean Petersen, an international business pioneer, artist, higher education advocate and philanthropist, during a ceremony in Naples, Florida, in November.
Western’s Board of Trustees approved the recommendation to honor Petersen with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree during its June 24, 2021, meeting. Petersen, co-founder of Jabil Circuit, has been a staunch advocate for higher education. Both of her children attended Western and were a driving force in the success of Jabil, a multibillion-dollar electronic product solutions company.
As a tribute to Petersen’s artistry and her many other accomplishments, the Audrey Morean Petersen Endowed Graduate Fellowship has been established in the WMU College of Fine Arts. The endowment will fund, in perpetuity, fellowships for outstanding students in the art of ceramics.
She bestowed a transformational gift to establish the Smart Room program at NCH Healthcare System in Naples, which uses technology to dramatically improve emergency health care for current and future generations.
“Mrs. Petersen’s story, based on a philosophy that each of us has a responsibility to help others, is a legacy that aligns with WMU’s mission and ethos,” stated the recommendation from the University’s Honorary Degree Committee.
Petersen and her husband, William E. Morean, founded Jabil Circuit in 1966 in Royal Oak, Michigan, along with James Golden. The company began as a service facility for electronic modules, printed circuit assemblies, wire wraps and related assemblies.
Today Jabil Inc. is a public worldwide manufacturing solutions company. Headquartered in the Gateway area of St. Petersburg, Florida, it has more than 100 plants in 30 countries and more than 260,000 employees.
Petersen has been painting in every medium for more than 75 years and still takes classes twice a week at age 94. She built the Bonita Springs Art Center, the Morean Arts Center in Saint Petersburg and has endowed multiple art programs nationally.
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