Sara Miller McCune

Honorary Degrees
 
 

​​​

Channel Islands:

Ms. Sara Miller McCune has been an influential business and civic leader whose distinguished contributions have enriched the California State University and the citizens of California. 

Ms. McCune has enjoyed a highly successful and distinguished professional life.  She is the founder and executive chairman of the independent global academic publishing empire, SAGE Publications, with subsidiary companies and sales offices in Los Angeles, Washington D.C., London, India, East Asia, Melbourne and Latin America. As a business owner, Ms. McCune has grown SAGE to become an international company that is one of the largest publishing companies in the world.  Ms. McCune and SAGE Publications have a strong commitment to higher education and, as such, have contributed over $70 million in support of this priority.

Ms. McCune is a tremendous supporter of California State University Channel Islands (CI) with her time and talent.  Her generous donations enabled CI to initiate the SAGE Student Research Conference, which promotes student-driven research, cultivates critical thinking and collaborative problem solving, and addresses important issues facing the community.  Beyond the SAGE Conference, Ms. McCune’s commitment and contributions have also resulted in numerous student scholarships and the launch of CI’s community-based nursing program. 

Ms. McCune heads a charitable foundation that funds grassroots projects to enable educational opportunities for underserved communities. She is a passionate supporter of the arts, an active advocate for social issues and a long-term sponsor of academic and university initiatives.  She serves in a number of leadership roles regionally and nationally, resulting in the creation of transformative educational experiences around the world.

Ms. McCune earned her degree in Political Science from Queen’s College of the City University of New York.

In recognition of Ms. McCune’s remarkable professional accomplishments, generous philanthropy, visionary leadership, and as a tribute to her remarkable life, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University Channel Islands are proud to confer upon Sara Miller McCune the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.