Widener University Awards Honorary Degree to Global Thought Leader and Innovator Dr. August-Wilhelm Scheer
Widener University awarded August-Wilhelm Scheer, PhD with the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters honoris causa at the 2023 commencement ceremony for the School of Business Administration and the Center for Graduate and Continuing Studies held on May 10.
Scheer is a scholar, innovator, and educator in the field of business process management, and his works on the subject have been widely published. The advancements he has made have shaped business operations on a global scale, and he has been instrumental in evolving enterprise modeling and the future of work.
In his address to graduates, Scheer imparted words of wisdom and advice. He emphasized that being part of a team has been imperative for him as he advanced through his career and personal life.
“The performance of a team is the sum of the individual contributions; however, the team members must fit together to produce an overall result. For this, it must be made up as far as possible of heterogeneous members whose characteristics and skills complement each other well,” said Scheer.
He elaborated with examples throughout history, demonstrating that he believes a good team needs visionaries, analysts, characters, and diplomats in order to thrive. He concluded with encouraging graduates to take a leap of faith, even when they may not be certain of the outcome.
“Many inventions and discoveries, such as penicillin, were made by accident. But they would not have been made if inventors had not begun their journey into uncharted territory… Have a vision for your journey and stay excited,” he said.