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A Legacy Rooted in Political Science and Faculty Support
Lynn M. Dudley and Caryn L. Beck-Dudley met at Utah State University as students, built a life together, and were married in 1980. Lynn earned his undergraduate degree in Political Science from USU in 1977, and Caryn followed with her own degree in Political Science in 1980.
Their time at Utah State became the foundation for remarkable careers in higher education. Lynn went on to earn a master's degree in Soil Science from USU in 1980 before completing his Ph.D. in Soil Science at Washington State University. Caryn earned her J.D. from the University of Idaho.
In 1985, Lynn and Caryn returned to Utah State University as faculty members. Lynn in the College of Agriculture and Caryn in the College of Business. Both became full professors and were deeply involved in faculty governance. Caryn later served as Department Chair in the Department of Management and Human Resources and then as Dean of the College of Business.
In 2006, their careers took them to Florida State University, where Caryn served as Dean of the College of Business and Lynn became the inaugural department chair in the Department of Earth, Ocean and Atmospheric Sciences. Lynn passed away in 2013 from glioblastoma. Caryn continued her career in higher education leadership, later serving as Dean of the Leavey School of Business at Santa Clara University and as President and CEO of AACSB, Inc. She retired in 2023.
Through all their accomplishments, Lynn and Caryn never forgot the role Utah State played in shaping their lives. Both attributed much of their success to the grounding they received in political science and to the developmental support they experienced as faculty members.
To honor that foundation and help strengthen the experience of future students, they have made a planned gift to establish an endowed fund for faculty support in the political science program within the College of Arts and Sciences at Utah State University.
Their gift reflects a belief that engaged faculty can change the direction of a student's life. By supporting the faculty who teach, mentor, and inspire students, their legacy will continue to influence generations of Aggies. It is their hope that future students will benefit from the same kind of thoughtful teaching, mentoring, and academic encouragement that helped shape their own lives and careers.
