What do a NASA scientist, Rhodes Scholar, stage actress, sports agent, and Utah senator have in common? They’re all inductees in the University of Utah’s Beehive Honor Society, established in 1913 to honor graduating senior students for leadership, scholarship, and service. The illustrious society’s 1,500-plus members—a few of whom are highlighted here—are a veritable who’s who of U alumni. “The Beehive Honor Society is the most prestigious honor society of the university,” says Kris Bosman BS’99, chief alumni relations officer at U Alumni, which sponsors the society. “Induction is among the highest honors a U student can receive from the university.” Seniors can apply for the Beehive Honor Society each spring at alumni.utah.edu.
Lila Eccles Brimhall BA’1914
Brimhall’s portrait now graces the lobby of Pioneer Memorial Theatre, which she helped establish, but she once graced the stage itself. The actress, director, and U theater professor began acting as a U student and went on to perform in and direct several productions throughout her decades-long career.
Frank Edward “Ted” Moss BA’33
Before rubbing shoulders with JFK, Moss was a U.S. Army Air Corps judge during WWII, Salt Lake County attorney, and SEC lawyer. Moss represented Utah in the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1977 and is known for legislation that banned cigarette ads on radio and TV.
Diego E. Bentz BS’92
This former Utes linebacker now scores big off the field as a high-profile sports agent. With a client list that includes David Ortiz, Pedro Martinez, Miguel Cabrera, and other MLB All-Stars, Bentz has negotiated over $1.8 billion in contracts. He and Ortiz also co-founded electric vehicle charging company ChargeFast Power.
Janice R. Ugaki HBA’92 HBS’92
Before receiving the internationally prestigious Rhodes Scholarship, Ugaki was U senior class president, homecoming queen, and a Truman Scholar. She went on to earn a JD from Harvard Law and taught in the U’s Honors College. Ugaki is now president and co-founder of Firmseek, a strategic marketing and technology company.
Jamie Rankin BMU’11 HBS’11
With degrees in both physics and music, Rankin chose to reach for the stars in her career. She is an astrophysicist at Princeton and deputy project scientist for NASA’s Voyager mission—one of the youngest researchers to ever hold that title.
Frank Edward “Ted” Moss was also a member of Pi Kappa Alpha!