California State University, Stanislaus President Hamid Shirvani was named a Paul Harris Fellow by the Rotary Club of Turlock on Tuesday.

The fellowship recognizes individuals for outstanding service to their communities.

“As a club, we wanted to honor a community member who exemplified our Rotary motto of ‘Service Above Self,’” said Bob Triebsch, a long-time member of Rotary and the CSU Stanislaus Foundation. “The award is given to people who have demonstrated an exceptional commitment to putting the needs of the community above themselves.”

In particular, Shirvani was lauded for “having the courage to make tough budgetary decisions.”

The fellowship was named after a Chicago attorney and founder of Rotary International. Rotary clubs can name a Paul Harris Fellow who they believe lives up to Harris’ legacy.

“It is a great honor to receive this prestigious and heartwarming award and to have the Rotary Club’s recognition of my work,” Shirvani said. “This truly means a lot. I certainly will continue my commitment to advancing CSU Stanislaus.”