First recipient will be faculty member James B. McDonald
James B. McDonald, chair of the Brigham Young University Department of Economics, has been named as the first appointee to the Clayne L. Pope Professorship in Economics.
The professorship was announced by David Magleby, dean of the College of Family, Home and Social Sciences, at a recent dinner honoring Pope, a longtime member of the economics faculty and former dean of the college.
“On behalf of the college I am grateful that Clayne allowed us to raise the funds for a professorship to bear his name,” said Magleby. “One of the characteristics of Clayne is understatement, yet what a difference he has made and continues to make to students, colleagues and the profession.”
“He served as dean, as an associate academic vice president and chair for more than a decade of his career at BYU,” Magleby said. “We have been greatly blessed by his leadership, wisdom and commitment to excellence.”
“James McDonald, like Clayne, has been a model teacher, citizen and scholar,” he added. “He is most deserving of this recognition.”
McDonald received bachelor’s and master’s degrees in mathematics at Utah State University before completing a Ph.D. in economics at Purdue University. A member of the BYU faculty since 1972, he served as an associate dean of General and Honors Education before becoming department chair in 2000.
Writer: Cecelia Fielding
