Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith was a dedicated student at the U., earning a bachelor's in economics in two years and graduating with a 3.74 GPA.
Were he not a No. 1 draft pick, Smith might very well have earned an advanced degree. Now, he'll have one anyway. Sort of.
The school's Board of Trustees announced Tuesday that Smith, slated to deliver the U.'s commencement address on May 1, will receive an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters.
Smith went 21-1 as a starter at the U., culminating in a 2005 Fiesta Bowl victory over Pittsburgh that made Utah the first team to "bust" the BCS. He led the Chiefs to a 9-0 start last season and made his first trip to Honolulu for the Pro Bowl.
A news release from the U. says that his Alex Smith Foundation and Alex Smith Guardian Scholars Program have helped 30 foster teens attend college; 23 of whom have graduated.
Matthew Piper
mpiper@sltrib.com
Twitter: @matthew_piper