Yellowstone superintendent to receive honorary degree at MSU

BOZEMAN, Mont. – Yellowstone National Park’s superintendent is set to receive an honorary doctorate degree in letters from Montana State University.

Dan Wenk, who has been the park’s superintendent since 2011, manages more than 2.2 million acres (0.9 million hectares), millions of visitors and a staff of about 800.

MSU says he supports land-grant universities and has deepened the relationship between Yellowstone’s research unit and faculty and students. University president Waded Cruzado says Wenk “has reinforced the long-standing ties between Yellowstone National Park and our university, strengthening MSU’s status as the ‘University of the Yellowstone.’”

Wenk, who has worked for the National Park Service for 42 years, will receive the degree during MSU’s fall commencement on Dec. 16.