Chase Nebeker Peterson (December 27, 1929 – September 14, 2014) was an American physician who became dean of admissions at his alma mater,

Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

, and dean of the health sciences at the

University of Utah The University of Utah (U of U, UofU, or simply The U) is a public research university in Salt Lake City, Utah. It is the flagship institution of the Utah System of Higher Education. The university was established in 1850 as the University of De ...

, before being selected president of the

in 1983.

Biography

Chase N. Peterson MD grew up in

Logan, Utah Logan is a city in Cache County, Utah, United States. The 2020 census recorded the population was 52,778. Logan is the county seat of Cache County and the principal city of the Logan metropolitan area, which includes Cache County and Franklin ...

, where his father, E. G. Peterson, was the president of

Utah State University Utah State University (USU or Utah State) is a public land-grant research university in Logan, Utah. It is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities. With nearly 20,000 students living on or near campus, USU is Utah's ...

. After attending a Massachusetts

boarding school A boarding school is a school where pupils live within premises while being given formal instruction. The word "boarding" is used in the sense of "room and board", i.e. lodging and meals. As they have existed for many centuries, and now exten ...

, Peterson earned his bachelor's and doctor of medicine degrees from

. He practiced medicine in Utah before returning to Harvard in 1967 to become dean of admissions. Instead of using quotas to admit more American Black students, Peterson notably hired an African-American to be part of the admissions staff and thereby increased recruiting of black students. Peterson married Ane Grethe Ballif, who after her marriage was normally referred to as Grethe Ballif Peterson. Grethe was a graduate of

Brigham Young University Brigham Young University (BYU, sometimes referred to colloquially as The Y) is a private research university in Provo, Utah. It was founded in 1875 by religious leader Brigham Young and is sponsored by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day ...

and pursued graduate studies at

Radcliffe College Radcliffe College was a women's liberal arts college in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and functioned as the female coordinate institution for the all-male Harvard College. Considered founded in 1879, it was one of the Seven Sisters colleges and he ...

Southern Connecticut State College Southern Connecticut State University (Southern Connecticut, Southern Connecticut State, SCSU, or simply Southern) is a public university in New Haven, Connecticut. Part of the Connecticut State University System, it was founded in 1893 and is g ...

and the

. Y High Alumni bio of Grethe Peterson/ref> While at Harvard, Peterson served as a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is ca ...

of the University

Ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

. In 1978, Peterson left Harvard to become dean of health sciences at the University of Utah. In 1983 he succeeded

David P. Gardner David Pierpont Gardner (born March 24, 1933) was the 15th president of the University of California and was also the president of the University of Utah. Biography Gardner was born in Berkeley, California, to Reed S. Gardner and Margaret Pierpont ...

as president of the university. The first human implantation of an

artificial heart An artificial heart is a device that replaces the heart. Artificial hearts are typically used to bridge the time to heart transplantation, or to permanently replace the heart in the case that a heart transplant (from a deceased human or, experi ...

and the

Fleischmann–Pons experiment Cold fusion is a hypothesized type of nuclear reaction that would occur at, or near, room temperature. It would contrast starkly with the "hot" fusion that is known to take place naturally within stars and artificially in hydrogen bombs and ...

took place at the university on his watch. Peterson retired from the university in 1991, though continued teaching a course at the medical school until his death. In 2006, Peterson received the Harvard Alumni Association medal. Dr. Chase Peterson died at 84 of pneumonia on September 14, 2014.

References

Sources

* Alan K. Parrish. "Harvard and the Gospel: An Informal History" in ''Regional Studies in Latter-day Saint History: New England'', p. 131.
Chase N. Peterson Presidential Records
* 1929 births 2014 deaths American leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Harvard Medical School alumni Harvard University staff People from Logan, Utah Presidents of the University of Utah Latter Day Saints from Massachusetts Latter Day Saints from Utah {{Utah-bio-stub