California State University, Stanislaus President Hamid Shirvani was named a Paul Harris Fellow yesterday by the Rotary Club of Turlock, a chapter of Rotary International.
The Paul Harris Fellowship acknowledges outstanding community members’ exceptional service to the community.
“As a club, we wanted to honor a community member who exemplified our Rotary motto of ‘Service Above Self’,” said Bob Triebsch, a long-time member of Rotary and the CSU Stanislaus Foundation. “The award is given to people who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to putting the needs of the community above themselves.”
“President Shirvani was honored for having the courage to make tough budgetary decisions at CSU Stanislaus when state resources are shrinking and there are no popular options,” Triebsch added.
Bill Ahlem, another member of the CSU Stanislaus Foundation Board who helped in presenting the Paul Harris Fellowship to President Shirvani, said, “CSU Stanislaus is fortunate to have a president like Ham Shirvani who truly cares about students and the University’s long-term success. He isn’t afraid to make hard decisions, and he has had great success in promoting and fundraising for campus needs.”
Shirvani said, “It is a great honor to receive this prestigious and heartwarming award and to have the Rotary Club’s recognition of my work. This truly means a lot. I certainly will continue my commitment to advancing CSU Stanislaus.”
Paul Percy Harris (April 19, 1868 – Jan. 27, 1947) was a Chicago, Illinois, attorney and the founder of Rotary International. In Harris’ honor, individual Rotary clubs can choose a Paul Harris Fellow who meets the high standards set by the organization’s founder.
Rotary International is a service club dedicated to bringing together business and professional leaders in order to provide humanitarian service, encourage high ethical standards in all vocations, and foster goodwill and peace in the world.