why i give Dr. A.A. Heravi Atrium A space central to the Department of Plants, Soils and Climate in the Agricultural Sciences building has been named to honor Professor A.A. Heravi, a pioneer of scientific farming in Iran. The atrium’s naming recognizes just one of the many generous gifts Mehdi Heravi has given across many programs at Utah State University and honors his father’s legacy of learning and teaching. A.A. Heravi made remarkable contributions to the science of agriculture, especially in his native Iran. He pursued his own higher education in Europe, and returned to Iran as a professor of agriculture at the University of Tehran in 1934– the university’s inaugural year–and was the youngest member of the new school’s faculty. Professor Heravi was the first to teach agriculture there and became the father of scientific agriculture in Iran. In 1939, he wrote the first book on Iranian agriculture, Family Farming, which was widely used throughout the country. Professor Heravi was beloved by the students who came through his classroom. He gave as much time to his students as he could, often saying, “My time is the students’ time.” The Heravi family was prosperous and greatly valued education. A.A. Heravi was educated at the Sorbonne in Paris, and at age 9, Mehdi Heravi and his older brother began attending a respected school in England. But young Mehdi dreamed of going to the United States. England was familiar to A.A. Heravi. The U.S. was not. He was, understandably, deeply concerned about sending his teenage son there, but Mehdi was persistent. In the 1950s, faculty from the Utah Agricultural College, especially those in engineering and agriculture, often collaborated with university and government scientists in the Middle East. Professor
By Lynnette Harris
Heravi asked visiting colleagues in Tehran where he might send his son to school, which proved to be the step that led to Mehdi traveling alone at age 18 from Tehran to Logan, Utah. “The very first photo I took when I came to Utah State was not of Logan Canyon, Old Main or Bear Lake but rather it was a photo of me standing in front of the old College of Agriculture building,” he said. “I thought I would send that photo to my father because it would make him happy to see his son in front of a beloved college of agriculture. However, I must confess, I did have an ulterior motive too. I thought this happiness might spill over and lead to an increase in my allowance…and it worked.” Mehdi quickly made friends in Cache Valley, graduated from Logan High School, and enrolled at Utah State. “My adult formative years were not only influenced but were developed here,” he told guests at the atrium’s dedication. “When I first came to Logan I didn’t know anyone, but within a few days, I had several good friends who remain my friends to this day. That circle of friends got bigger and bigger until finally, I ended up having three couples claiming me as their own son. So I think I am qualified to be in the Guinness Book of Records for having four fathers and four mothers. One of those couples was Milton and Bessie Merrill for whom the library was named.” Mehdi Heravi earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in political science at Utah State and worked as a teaching assistant. In 1967, he went on to earn his Ph.D. at American University’s School of International Service in Washington, D.C. and later became vice president of the National University of Iran. He is truly a citizen of the world, and since the late 1970’s regime change in Iran forced him from his leadership role at the university, a commitment to philanthropy has been Mehdi Heravi’s focus. “When the dictionary defines the word ‘philanthropist,’ the description should include the name Dr. Mehdi Heravi,” College of Agriculture and Applied Sciences’ Dean Ken White said. “Dr. Heravi is the epitome of a true philanthropist. His liberality is above and beyond many donors who contribute generous support to Utah State University’s students.” “I was very happy that I could do this for the college in my father’s name,” he said. “My father and Milton Merrill are no longer with us. When a loved one becomes a memory, that memory becomes a treasure and they will always be treasured as long as I live.” �
(Left to right) CAAS Dean Ken White, USU Vice President Matthew White, alumnus Mehdi Heravi, USU President Noelle Cockett.
Cultivate | Spring/Summer 2021
23
