From the arts to medicine and the halls of the Terry College’s Business Learning Community, Doug Ivester (BBA ’69) has had a vital hand in helping thousands of students achieve their goals.   

UGA President Jere Morehead presented Ivester with an honorary doctorate of humane letters at the University of Georgia’s 2025 Fall Commencement on Dec. 12 in recognition of his continuous dedication to the future of Georgia and his transformative support of UGA. 

“Today, we are privileged to present an honorary degree to Mr. M. Douglas Ivester for his outstanding contributions to the University of Georgia, his commitment to developing a generation of young leaders, and his remarkable career defined by professional success,” Morehead told the crowd.  

Honorary doctorates are the highest honor conferred by UGA, and fewer than 100 have been awarded since the first two were conferred in 1809. Recent recipients have included The Home Depot co-founder Arthur Blank, and James, Alana and Howard Shepherd, founders of the Shepherd Center.   

Ivester and his wife, Kay, made their first contribution to UGA in 1971, and have been dedicated supporters of UGA ever since. They have also been loyal champions of the Terry College of Business. Ivester Hall, one of the buildings in the college’s Business Learning Community and home to the M. Douglas and V. Kay Ivester Institute for Business Analytics and Insights, was dedicated in 2019. 

The Ivesters donated more than $1 million to establish 10 Georgia Commitment Scholarships through the Howard E. Ivester Scholarship Fund. The fund, named in honor of Doug Ivester’s father, provides need-based scholarships for Hall County students at UGA. Most recently, the Ivester family committed $1.1 million to establish the M. Douglas Ivester Scholar at the new UGA School of Medicine. 

They have also provided thousands of Hall County and Gainesville students with increased access to higher education through scholarships and direct support of Lanier Technical College and Hall County schools. 

Ivester, who also served as the fall 2026 commencement speaker, told graduates and family members that his time at UGA opened his eyes to the breadth of what was possible in life. He asked them to “never let their memories be greater than their dreams” — an attitude and motto he has shared with many students over the years.  

“Some people who have achieved my age begin to wind down their dreams,” he told the crowd. “I refuse to do that. I refuse to wind down my dreams. I intend to dream of achievements and experiences that I’ve not yet had, and that my friends is my message to you today. Dream, dream, dream big, dream constantly. Dream forever. Never quit dreaming.” 

Ivester’s directive to view commencement as a beginning of a season of opportunity rather than an end was echoed by student commencement speaker Reid McAdams, an honors finance student graduating from the Terry College.  

“The Arch is at the edge of campus, not at the center, because learning prepares you to cross into the world with wisdom, justice and moderation,” McAdams said.  “So, here’s the charge, clear and simple. Seek facts, earn trust, do right, let your decisions show your education, let your work lift someone else. Let your word mean what it says when you stand in a room. When it is not obvious what to do, start with service. When you are tempted to speak more than you listen, start with humility. When you doubt that your effort matters, start anyway.” 

McAdams was one of 412 Terry College students who graduated at UGA’s Fall Commencement.