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President Gordon B. Hinckley announced at a Devotional on Tuesday that Elder Cecil O. Samuelson will be the new President of Brigham Young University.
President Hinckley announced that President Merrill J. Bateman will resume his full time responsibilities as a General Authority after almost eight years of service as the President of BYU. President Bateman has responsibilities as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy.
President Bateman was released from the position with a vote of thanks from the full crowd in the Marriott Center and an "Honorable Discharge" from President Hinckley.
Pres. Hinckley, acting in his role as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Church Education, praised Pres. Bateman for his great managerial skills and his buoyant personality.
Elder Cecil O. Samuelson was sustained as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ in 1994. He has served as president of the Utah North Area and has served in the North America West Area presidency and president of the Europe North Area. Samuelson is a medical doctor by profession.
Elder Samuelson is a Salt Lake City native and has served as Professor of Medicine, Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Utah and as Vice President of Health Sciences.
Samuelson also has experience in the classroom - a part of his resume that is likely to please BYU's faculty.
The new president was a professor at U. of Utah's school of medicine before moving into administrative positions. Prior to his call as a full-time General Authority for the church, he was Senior Vice President of Intermountain Health Care.
He holds a bachelor of science degree, a master's degree in educational psychology and a medical degree from the University of Utah.
In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he has served as a regional representative, stake president, stake high councilor, branch president and missionary.
He and his wife, Sharon Giauque Samuelson have five children and three grandchildren.
The transition in leadership will officially take place on May 1, 2003.
OFFICIAL RELEASE FROM LDS CHURCH: - - - - - -
SALT LAKE CITY — Dr. Cecil O. Samuelson Jr. — a former medical doctor now serving in the presidency of the Seventy of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — will take over the reins as president of Brigham Young University on 1 May.
Church President Gordon B. Hinckley made the announcement in today's devotional assembly at BYU.
Dr. Samuelson, who will be the university's 12th president, will replace Dr. Merrill J. Bateman, who will return to full-time service as a general authority of the Church. He began his tenure as BYU President 1 January 1996 and is in his eighth year of service.
Dr. Samuelson is a Salt Lake City native and has served at the University of Utah as professor of medicine, dean of the School of Medicine and vice president of health sciences. Prior to his call as a full-time general authority he was senior vice president of Intermountain Health Care. He holds a bachelor of science degree, a master's degree in educational psychology and a medical degree from the University of Utah.
He fulfilled his residency and held a fellowship in rheumatic and genetic diseases at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, North Carolina. He has received numerous scholastic honors and has authored or co-authored 48 original publications, eight books or chapters of books and 13 abstracts.
In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he has served as a regional representative, stake president, stake high councilor, branch president and missionary. He has served as president of two areas of the Church, the Utah North Area and the Europe North Area. He and his wife, Sharon Giauque Samuelson, have five children and three grandchildren. Formal investiture of President Samuelson is scheduled for 9 September 2003.
Elder Bateman was called to serve in the Second Quorum of the Seventy in June of 1992. As part of that assignment, he was president of the Asia North Area. He has served the Church also as a missionary, bishop, stake high councilor, stake president and regional representative.
Elder Bateman is married to Marilyn Scholes Bateman and they are the parents of four boys and three girls. They also have 28 grandchildren.
Elder Bateman was sustained as presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 2 April 1994, and then was called as a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy on 2 November 1995. During his tenure at the university, he has continued to serve in the First Quorum of the Seventy.
