awarded its first Doctor of Philosophy degrees: to Victor C. Vaughan in chemistry and William E. Smith in zoology. They were among the first doctoral degrees to be conferred in the nation. The university remained the only institution in the state to grant PhD degrees until the late 1940s.
With his presidency, Angell focused the university on preparing a new generation of statesmen for public service. Angell himself was frequently called upon by the White House for diplomatic missions. In 1880, President Rutherford Hayes appointed him as Minister to China, where he successfully negotiated an immigration treaty that facilitated foreign student enrollment. Later, in 1887, 1896, and 1897, President Grover Cleveland appointed him to fisheries and waterways commissions. That same year, President William McKinley named him Envoy Extraordinary to Turkey. By the late 19th century, the university had gained an international reputation, in large part due to Angell's diplomatic efforts. During this period, over eighty subjects …
