List of Honorary Degree Recipients

May 31, 2026

Scott Bierman ’77L.H.D.
Deborah Elizabeth Harkness (Speaker)Litt.D.
Seema Ram HingoraniL.H.D.

May 25, 2025

Mary BonautoLL.D.
Angela Duckworth (Speaker)L.H.D.
Stanley NelsonD.F.A.
Deval PatrickLL.D.

May 26, 2024

Richard Blanco   Litt.D.
Mary Louise Kelly (Speaker)Litt.D.
Ava Clayton Spencer L.H.D.

May 28, 2023

Joseph Drew Lanham (Speaker)D.Sc
Michael Monroe LewisLitt.D.
Julieanna L. RichardsonL.H.D.
Shankar VedantamLitt.D.

May 29, 2022

Michael W. Bonney ’80, P’09, P’12, P’15L.H.D.
Nikki GiovanniLitt.D.
Nirav D. Shah (Speaker)D.Sc.
Becca StevensL.H.D.

May 27, 2021

Yvon V. ChouinardL.H.D.
Vanessa L. GermanD.F.A.
Rhiannon GiddensD.Mus.
Chase B. StrangioLL.D.

Note:  Each honorand participated virtually in the Commencement ceremony due to the COVID-19 pandemic and offered remarks for approximately 5 minutes.

May 31, 2020

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, ΐΦ²₯΄«Γ½ held commencement exercises virtually.  No honorary degrees were awarded.

September 3, 2019 (Convocation)

Dolores C. Huerta (Speaker)L.H.D.

May 26, 2019

Jennifer A. Doudna (Speaker)D.Sc.
Travis F. MillsL.H.D.
Megan J. SmithL.H.D.

May 27, 2018

Lynsey AddarioL.H.D.
Jill LeporeL.H.D.
Bob LudwigD.Mus.
Bryan Stevenson (Speaker)LL.D.

May 28, 2017

Geoffrey Canada (Speaker)L.H.D.
Susan M. CollinsL.H.D.
Wanda M. CornD.F.A.
Patrick G. DempseyL.H.D.

May 29, 2016

Lisa Genova ’92L.H.D.
Daniel T. GilbertLitt.D.
John R. Lewis (Speaker)L.H.D.
Robert E. WittL.H.D.

May 31, 2015

Mark Barry Abelson P’97D.Sc.
Manjul Bhargava (Speaker)D.Sc.
Thomas F. MoserL.H.D.
Joan Benoit Samuelson P’10L.H.D.

May 25, 2014

John Seeley BrownD.Sc.
Glenn CloseD.F.A.
David Evans Shaw P’00L.H.D.
Isabel Alexis Wilkerson (Speaker)Litt.D.

May 26, 2013

William Cronon P’13Litt.D.
Elaine Tuttle HansenLitt.D.
Gary Hirshberg P’13 (Speaker)L.H.D.
Vivian W. Pinn, M.D.D.Sc.

May 27, 2012

Bonnie L. BasslerD.Sc.
Robert De NiroD.F.A
Gwen IfillLitt.D

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes

May 31, 2011

Frank GlazerD.F.A.
Evelynn HammondsL.H.D.
Robert S. LangerD.Sc.

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes

May 30, 2010

Lorenzo β€œRennie” HarrisD.F.A.
James J. McCarthyD. Sc.
Jane Pauley (Trudeau)L.H.D.
Elizabeth Strout ’77Litt. D.
Teresa K. WoodruffD. Sc.

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes

May 31, 2009

Geena DavisD.F.A.
Robert M. FranklinL.H.D.
Mimi A. R. KoehlD. Sc.
Fareed ZakariaL.H.D.
Ralph T. Perry β€˜51, GP’02L.H.D

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes

May 25, 2008

Susan V. BerresfordL.H.D.
Phillip A. SharpD.Sc.
Warren M. WashingtonD.Sc.
Pauline YuLitt.D.

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes

May 27, 2007

Eric CarleLitt.D.
Corey Leslie Harris ’91D.Mus.
Dean KamenD.Sc.
Anna Deavere SmithD.F.A.

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes.

May 28, 2006

Marjorie GarberL.H.D.
Dr. David D. HoD.Sc.
David McCulloughL.H.D.
Mark MorrisD.F.A.

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes.

May 30, 2005

T. J. AndersonD.Mus.
Lynn MargulisD.Sc.
Daisy M. SorosLL.D.
Paul SorosLL.D.
Brian WiliamsL.H.D.

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes.

May 31, 2004

Rita R. ColwellD.Sc.
David L. LewisL.H.D.
Milton L. Lindholm β€˜35, P’64L.H.D.
John C. WhiteheadLL.D.

Note: Each honorand spoke for approximately 5-8 minutes.

May 26, 2003

Carol BellamyL.H.D.
Eugene BraunwaldD.Sc.
Stephen Carter (Speaker)LL.D.
Donald W. Harward P’92L.H.D.

May 27, 2002

Ken BurnsL.H.D.
M. Joycelyn EldersD.Sc.
Wendy WassersteinD.F.A.
Steven WeinbergD.Sc.

June 4, 2001

Bruce M. AlbertsD.Sc.
Mary Frances BerryLL.D.
James Leander Moody, Jr. GP’12, GP’14L.H.D.
Anna QuindlenL.H.D.
Robert B. Reich (Speaker)LL.D.

May 29, 2000

Robert L. Bernstein GP’14L.H.D.
Trisha BrownD.F.A.
Shirley M. MalcomD.Sc.
Beverly Daniel TatumL.H.D.
Desmond M. Tutu (Speaker)L.H.D.

May 31, 1999

Robert Dunn β€˜50L.H.D.
Richard C. Holbrooke (Speaker)LL.D.
Dr. Leroy HoodD.Sc.
William Julius WilsonLL.D.

April 7, 1999 (Founder’s Day, 4th Spring Convocation)

Mr. Julian Bond (Speaker)LL.D.

May 25, 1998

Ms. Doris Kearns Goodwin (Speaker) L.H.D.
Dr. Walter E. MasseyD.Sc.
Mr. Daniel Louis SchorrLitt.D.
Senator Olympia J. SnoweLL.D.
Mr. John Hoyer Updike Pβ€˜92Litt.D.

May 26, 1997

Dr. Oscar Arias (Speaker)LL.D.
Professor Derrick BellLL.D.
Mr. Philip Isaacson β€˜47L.H.D.
Professor Kathleen JamiesonLitt.D.
Professor Jane LubchencoD.Sc.

April 3, 1997 (Founder’s Day, 3rd Annual Spring Convocation)

Helen A. Papaioanou, M.D. β€˜49D.Sc.

May 27, 1996

Dr. Chinua Achebe (Speaker)Litt.D.
The Reverend Professor Peter J. Gomes β€˜65 D.D.
Ms. Natalie Webber Gulbrandsen β€˜42, P’67 LL.D.
Dr. Edward O. WilsonD.Sc.

April 2, 1996 (Founder’s Day, 2nd Annual Spring Convocation)

Mr. Mstislav RostropovichL.H.D.

June 5, 1995

Ms. Byllye AveryLL.D.
Robert E. McAfee, M.D. β€˜56, P’83D.Sc.
Mr. Garry Wills (Speaker)L.H.D.

April 5, 1995 (Founder’s Day, Special Spring Convocation)

Dr. Elie Wiesel (Speaker)LL.D.

May 30, 1994

Dr. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. (Speaker)L.H.D.
Ms. Isabel AllendeL.H.D.
Mr. William H. Gray IIIL.L.D.
Ms. Judith M. Isaacson β€˜65, GP’07L.L.D.
Ms. Faye WattletonL.H.D.

May 31, 1993

Dr. James H. BillingtonL.H.D.
Dr. Anthony S. FauciD.Sc.
Miss Geneva Kirk β€˜37L.L.D.
Ms. Paule B. MarshallL.H.D.
Dean Lester C. Thurow (Speaker)L.L.D.

May 25, 1992

Mr. David S. BroderL.H.D.
Ms. Maria Irene FornΓ©sLitt.D.
Professor John Hope Franklin (Speaker)L.H.D.
Professor Helen H. VendlerLitt.D.

May 27, 1991

Mr. Arthur Agnos β€˜60LL.D.
Dr. Freeman Dyson (Speaker)D.Sc.
Mr. Leon GormanLL.D.
Mr. Donald HallLitt.D.
Ms. Dahlov IpcarD.F.A.
Mr. Roger Tory PetersonD.Sc.
Ms. Bernice Johnson ReagonL.H.D.

June 4, 1990

Dr. A. LeRoy Greason, Jr.L.H.D.
The Honorable Mr. Justice Gerard V. La ForestLL.D.
President Emeritus Thomas Hedley ReynoldsL.H.D.
The Reverend Dr. Nathan A. Scott, Jr.D.D.
Professor Joan SteitzD.Sc.
Dr. Catharine Stimpson (Speaker)LL.D.

May 29, 1989

Howard M. BrownD.Mus.
William S. CohenLL.D.
Johnnetta B. ColeLL.D.
Victor A. McKusick P’87D.Sc.
Marian McPartlandD.Mus.
Paul A. VolckerLL.D.

1988

Asako O. Hirasawa P’65L.H.D.
John Andrew Kenney, Jr., M.D. ’42D.Sc.
R.W.B. LewisLitt.D.
Thomas F. MaloneD.Sc.
Marian Goddard Mullet β€˜50LL.D.
Roswell B. PerkinsLL.D.
Donald M. Stewart (Speaker)LL.D.

1987

Zanvil A. Cohn, M.D. β€˜48, GP’12D.Sc.
William R. Dill β€˜51, P’77LL.D.
Stephen Jay GouldD.Sc.
Flora LewisL.H.D.
Judge Ellen Ash Peters (Speaker)LL.D.
Andrew N. Wyeth GP’01D.F.A.

1986

Marian Wright EdelmanLL.D.
Bryant C. Gumbel β€˜70LL.D.
Seamus HeaneyLitt.D.
Ambassador Max M. KempelmanLL.D.
Ambassador Carol LaiseLL.D.
Ambassador Donald F. McHenry (Speaker) L.H.D.
David Martyn SmithD.Sc.

September 28, 1985

President Jimmy CarterLL.D.

1985

Dr. Eleanor J. GibsonD.Sc.
Mr. E. Robert Kinney ’39, P’70, GP’93LL.D.
Senator George J. Mitchell (Speaker)LL.D.
Mr. George PutnamLL.D.
Dr. Barbara H. SanfordD.Sc.
Mr. Neil WelliverD.F.A.

1984

D. Ernest L. Boyer (Speaker)L.H.D.
Mrs. Alice Swanson Esty ’25, GP’92L.H.D.
Dr. Robert S. FitzgeraldLitt.D.
Dr. Theodore S. HauschkaD.Sc.
Denise LevertovL.H.D.

1983

Dr. John Wesley Chandler P’83, GP’09L.H.D.
Julia McWilliams ChildD.F.A.
Martin FriedmanL.H.D.
Bernard Lown, M.D. P’75 (Speaker) LL.D.
Bodil Schmidt-NielsenD.Sc.
William H. Sutherland, Jr. ’40, GP’11L.D.
Emily Townsend VermeuleL.H.D.

1982

Mrs. Lucy Wilson BensonL.H.D.
Ms. Charlayne Hunter-Gault (Speaker)L.H.D.
Mr. Adelbert M. Jakeman ’27, P’51Litt.D.
Ms. Geri M. JosephLL.D.
Dr. George D. SnellD.Sc.
Dr. James TobinL.H.D.

June 1, 1981

Dr. Rudolf ArnheimLitt.D.
The Honorable Warren ChristopherL.H.D.
The Honorable Kenneth M. CurtisLL.D.
Mr. Charles E. Merrill, Jr.L.H.D.
Ms. Nancy Hays TeetersLL.D.

June 1, 1980

Dr. Betsy Ancker-JohnsonLL.D.
Dr. John W. BlassingameL.H.D.
Dr. Clifford J. GeertzL.H.D.
Jean Gannett HawleyLL.D.
George I. Lythcott, M.D. ’39, P’69LL.D.
Elliot L. Richardson (Speaker)L.H.D.

June 1, 1979

Isabel BishopD.F.A.
Gerald HoltonD.Sc.
Dorris A. Isaacson P’36, P’37M.A.
Amory B. LovinsD.Sc.
Robert B.W. MacNeil (Speaker)L.H.D.
Vincent L. McKusick ’44LL.D.

June 1, 1978

Gwendolyn BrooksLitt.D.
Jacques J. d’AmboiseD.F.A.
Madeleine Richard Freeman ’47LL.D.
H. Northrop FryeL.H.D.
Ian Lennox McHarg (Speaker)L.H.D.
John McPheeLitt.D.

June 1, 1977

Berenice AbbottD.F.A.
Charlotte M. CurtisL.H.D.
Edward T. Gignoux GP’92LL.D.
George E. Ladd, Jr. GP’76, GP’85LL.D.
Isidor I. RabiD.Sc.
Horton Guyford Stever (Speaker)LL.D.

June 1, 1976

Elma I. LewisD.F.A.
Paul Webster MacAvoy ’55 (Speaker) LL.D.
May SartonLitt.D.
Mary Lou WilliamsD.F.A.
The Honorable Robert B. Williamson LL.D.

June 1, 1975

Mr. George W. Ball (Speaker)D.C.L.
Dr. Daniel J. BoorstinL.H.D.
Mr. William T. Coleman, Jr.LL.D.
Mr. Andrew J. Young, Jr.LL.D.

June 1, 1974

Mr. Thomas AllsoppLL.D.
Mrs. Sarah P. HarknessD.F.A.
Mr. Paul Henry LangMus.D.
Mr. Gerard PielLitt.D.

June 1, 1973

Dr. A. Craig BairdLL.D.
Miss Evelyn M. Copeland β€˜39L.H.D.
Dr. Paul A. FreundLitt.D.
Dr. George S. Menger-Hammond ’43, GP’03D.Sc.

June 1, 1972

Claude LeRoy Allen, Jr.LL.D.
Sylvester Jefferson Carter β€˜34D.Sc.
Robert ColesLitt.D.
Charles Roy KellerLL.D.
Constance Ernestine Berry Newman ’56LL.D.

June 1, 1971

Coretta Scott KingLitt.D.
Alfred A. KnopfL.H.D.
Robert H. Kroepsch β€˜33LL.D.
William L. Parsons 1905LL.D.
Nancy RomanD.Sc.
Mark SheddLL.D.

June 1, 1970

Edwin Adams 1919LL.D.
Winthrop C. LibbyLL.D.
Russell E. TrainLL.D.

April 1, 1970

Miss Ruth M. AdamsL.H.D.
Mr. King V. Cheek, Jr. β€˜59LL.D.
Mr. John Ciardi ’38Litt.D.
Mr. Eli GoldstonLL.D.
Archbishop IakovosD.D.

July 4, 1969

Mr. E. Harry Boothby β€˜41, P’73LL.D.
Dr. R. Buckminster FullerD.Sc.

April 29, 1969

Mr. Stephen EtnierD.F.A.
Miss Pauline FrederickLitt.D.
Mr. Peter FullerLL.D.
Mr. Alan R. Sawyer β€˜41, P’76D.F.A.
Mr. William Stringfellow β€˜49L.H.D.
James Russell WigginsLL.D.

June 28, 1968

Norman E. Ross β€˜22A.M.
Stewart L. UdallLL.D.

April 1, 1968

George H. EllisLL.D.
John M. Googin β€˜44D.Sc.
Robert E.L. StriderL.H.D.
Margaret Joy TibbettsLL.D.
Nils Y. Wessell (Speaker)LL.D.

October 7, 1967 (Inauguration of T. Hedley Reynolds)

Dr. James I. ArmstrongL.H.D.
Mr. Francis KeppelLL.D.

April 24, 1967

Mr. Charles A. DanaL.H.D.
Professor Owen W. Dodson β€˜36Litt.D.
Professor Bernard M. Loomer β€˜34D.D.
Dr. Charles F. PhillipsLL.D.
Senator Margaret Chase Smith (Speaker)LL.D.

April 24, 1966

Mr. Samuel M. Graves β€˜24L.H.D.
The Honorable William H. HastieL.H.D.
Mrs. Charles F. PhillipsL.H.D.
Dr. Priscilla F. Pollister β€˜25D.Sc.
Dr. William Howard SchumanLL.D.

June 6, 1965

Mr. John BurkhartL.H.D.
Dr. Hudson HoaglandD.Sc.
Mr. Eugenio MendozaLL.D.
Mrs. Harper SibleyL.H.D.
Mr. Charles A. SchmutzM.A.
Mr. Edward R. Stanley β€˜39, P’62M.A.

June 1, 1964

Dr. Richard S. Buker β€˜21, P’46L.H.D.
Dr. Grayson L. Kirk (Speaker)LL.D.
Dr. Henry W. Littlefield β€˜28LL.D.
Mr. & Mrs. Pierre LuboshutzMus.D.
Mr. Perry T. RathboneD.F.A.
Dr. Almus M. Thorp β€˜34L.H.D.
Mr. Minoru YamasakiD.F.A.
Mr. William & Mrs. Marguerite ZorachD.F.A.

October 26, 1963

Alfred C. FullerLL.D.
Fred M. HechingerLL.D.
Eugene F. O’NeillD.Sc.
William S. PaleyLL.D.
Barbara W. TuchmanLitt.D.
Frank H. BowlesL.H.D.
Philip A. HoferD.F.A.

June 1, 1963

Dr. Marcolino Gomes CandauD.Sc.
Clifford N. CarverLL.D.
Margaret Hutchinson ComptonL.H.D.
Dr. Arthur W. EastonD.Sc.
Dr. Russell H. Fifield β€˜35LL.D.
James M. Nabrit, Jr., P’52L.H.D.

June 1, 1962

Dr. Chester S. KeeferD.Sc.
George Olmstead, Jr.LL.D.
Mrs. Helen Hill Stuber β€˜25, P’50, P’55L.H.D.
Randolph A. Weatherbee β€˜32, P’65, GP’02LL.D.
Donald W. WebberL.H.D.

June 1, 1961

Alonzo J. HarrimanD.F.A.
Kazushige Hirasawa β€˜36, P’65Litt.D.
Miss Edith Mary Lerrigo β€˜32L.H.D.
Dr. Edward F. Roberts β€˜23D.Sc.

June 1, 1960

Charles Francis AdamsLL.D.
Mrs. Santha Rama Rau BowersLitt.D.
Meredith F. Burrill β€˜25, P’59D.Sc.
Sidney W. DavidsonL.H.D.
Frederick D. Hayes β€˜31, P’60, P’67D.D.
Karl L. RankinLL.D.

June 1, 1959

Frank M. Coffin β€˜40, GP’07LL.D.
Sylvia Porter (Collins)Litt.D.
Alan HovhanessD.Mus.
Thayer LindsleyLL.D.
Henry P. Van DusenL.H.D.

June 1, 1958

Julius Seelye BixlerL.H.D.
Alfred Maximilian GruentherLL.D.
Arthur Wagg Pollister β€˜24D.Sc.
Miriam Van WatersL.H.D.

October 1, 1957

Samuel Brookner Gould β€˜30LL.D.
Loy Wesley HendersonLL.D.
George Washington Lane, Jr.LL.D.
William ThonD.F.A.
Valentine Haining Wilson β€˜38LL.D.

June 1, 1957

Luis Munoz-MarinLL.D.
Anne Helen Martikainen β€˜39D.Sc.
Milton David ProctorL.H.D.
Robert Burnham Watts β€˜22LL.D.

June 1, 1956

Dorothy FosdickL.H.D.
Boris GoldovskyD. Mus.
Harold Wellington Richardson β€˜30L.H.D.
Hazel Hutchins Wilson 1919M.A.

June 1, 1955

Malvina HoffmanD.F.A.
Ralph LowellLL.D.
Edmund Sixtus Muskie β€˜36LL.D.
Charles Laurence Stevens β€˜21, P’52Ed.D.
Dorothy Constance StrattonL.H.D.

June 1, 1954

Sherman AdamsLL.D.
Richard Lyon BowditchLL.D.
John Phillips MarquandL.H.D.
Millicent Carey McIntoshL.H.D.
Clarence Paul Quimby 1910, P’38, P’42Ed.D.
William Grant StillLitt.D.

June 1, 1953

Clarence Irving Chatto 1912Ed.D.
George Elbert JuddL.H.D.
Mrs. N. Myra Glazier KenneyLL.D.
Edwin Herbert LandLL.D.
Lester MarkelL.H.D.

June 1, 1952

Frank AltschulLL.D.
John William Ashton β€˜22LL.D.
Louis Bartlett Costello 1898LL.D.
Louis Clark de RochemontL.H.D.
Alfred Eastlack DriscollLL.D.
Ada Holding MillerA.M.
Daniel Alfred PolingL.H.D.

June 1, 1951

Robert James McCrackenL.H.D.
John Lewis Miller β€˜26, P’52LL.D.
Lester Bowles PearsonLL.D.
Helen Rogers ReidLitt.D.
Ben Ames WilliamsLitt.D.

November 1, 1950

Abraham Lincoln FileneLL.D.
Everett Clifton Higgins 1903A.M.
James Rhyne Killian, Jr.D.Sc.
Harold Raymond MedinaLL.D.
William WebsterLL.D.

June 1, 1950

Paul Howard DouglasLL.D.
Arthur Andrew HauckLL.D.
Clifton Todd Perkins β€˜22, P’50LL.D.

June 1, 1949

Lucius DuBignon ClayLL.D.
Vining Campbell Dunlap 1914D.Sc.
Frank Wendall Rounds 1904D.Sc.
Dorothy ShaverLL.D.

June 1, 1948

Luther Isaac Bonney 1906A.M.
Sevellon Ledyard BrownLitt.D.
Christian Archibald HerterLL.D.
Phillips Merrill PaysonLL.D.
Venila Lovina Shores 1914Litt.D.

June 1, 1947

Warren Robinson AustinLL.D.
William Thomas GrantLL.D.
Clifton Daggett GrayD.D.
Helen Hall KelloggLL.D.
Benjamin Elijah Mays 1920D.D.
Dorothy Clarke Wilson β€˜25Litt.D.

June 1, 1946

Erwin Dain Canham β€˜25, P’53Litt.D.
Anne Macomber GannettA.M.
Herman David Ruhm, Jr.LL.D.
Harold Edward StassenLL.D.

June 1, 1945

Gladys Hasty Carroll β€˜25, P’53, P’62Litt.D.
Elizabeth Anthony Dexter 1908LL.D.
Robert MosesLL.D.
Sumner Tucker PikeLL.D.
Charles Eldridge Spencer, Jr.LL.D.
Thomas Spooner 1905, P’44D.Sc.