Honorary Degree Recipients
2022
Yo-Yo Ma, Doctor of Music
Todd Haynes, Doctor of Fine Arts
2021
2020
Jules Feiffer, Doctor of Humane Letters
2019
Alan Alda, Doctor of Fine Arts
Tarana Burke, Doctor of Humane Letters
Greg Marshall, Doctor of Science
2018
Atefeh Riazi, Doctor of Science, Doctoral Graduation and Hooding Ceremony
Tracy K. Smith, Doctor of Letters, Main Commencement Ceremony
2017
Michael J. Fox
Prince Emmanuel de Merode
Jonathan Oringer
Arthur Kramer
Frank Shu
2016
Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Soledad O’Brien
2015
Billy Joel
Ben Shneiderman
Charles B. Wang
2014
Dorothy Lichtenstein
David Walt
2013
Terence Netter
Nora D. Vokow
2012
Glenn Dubin
Richard J. Gambino
Sister Margaret Ann Landry
James Salter
2011
Henry Laufer
Marsha Laufer
Hyun-Soon Lee
Jane Lubchenco
2010
Gregg Smith
Eugene V. Thaw
Elwyn L. Simons
2009
Carolyn Porco
Charles Wurster
Liu Yangdong
2008
Norman F. Ramsey
Marilyn Hawrys Simons
James D. Wolfensohn
2007
Russell Mittermeier-Conservation Biology
Christopher Pendergast-Founder, Ride for Life and Medical Research Campaigner
W. Burghardt Turner-Civil Rights and Diversity
2006
Bernard A. Harris, Jr.-Astronaut
2005
Christopher Reeve–Actor and Activist (posthumously)
Charles A. Gargano–Business and Engineering
2004
Richard L. Gelfond–Business
Matthew J. Cody–Philanthropist for Autism and Developmental Disabilities
2003
Robert Shaler–Forensic Biologist
David E. Acker–Scientist and Inventor
George Booth–Cartoonist
Barry Spencer Coller–Medical Researcher and Inventor
2002
Bruce Stillman-Medical Research and Academics
Loni Ding-Filmmaker and Educator
Robert L. Gallucci-Foreign Service
Meave Leaky-Human Evolution
John H. Marburger-Physics
2001
John Hennessy-Electrical Engineering, Business, and Academics
Susan Solomon-Atmospheric Sciences
Erwin Staller-Philanthropist for the Arts
2000
John Belle-Architect
James A. Hayward-Scientist, Entrepreneur, and Philanthropist
Albert Murray-Author and Cultural Critic
George Williams-Biologist
1999
Bruce Alberts-Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
John H. Coleman-Engineering and Business
Charles Johnson-Author
June E. Osborn-Medicine and Research
Chen Ning Yang-Theoretical Physics
1998
Hayward Cirker-Publishing
E. Virgil Conway-Business and Public Service
Richard E.F. Leakey-Anthropology
T. Alexander Pond-Physics
Chang-Lin Tien-Engineering
1997
Norman Mercer-Artist
Myung Oh-Business
Suzie Orbach-Psychotherapist
1996
Kenneth Chenault-Community Service/Business
Gerald Leeds-Community Service
Lilo Leeds-Community Service
Sheldon Weinig-Scientist/Teacher
1995
Robert Blackburn-Artist/Teacher
Dennis Puleston-Scientist/Teacher Conservationist
Kwon-Ting Li-Physics/Economic Development
P. Roy Vagelos-Biomedical
1994
Akito Arima-Physics
Joycelyn Elders-Surgeon General
Robert Paxton-Historian
1993
Howard Green-Medicine
1992
Gertrude Elion-Scientist
Nina Totenberg-Broadcaster, National Public Radio
James Simons-Services to Higher Education/Philanthropy
1991
Isabel Allende-Writer
Mathilde Krim-Aids Research/Education
1990
Paul Lauterbur-Chemistry
John Toll-Services to Higher Education
Gary Becker-Economics
Dalai Lama-Services to Humanity and Promotion of World Peace
1989
Joan Wallach Scott-History
Karl Turekian-Geochemistry
Martinus Veltman-Physics
Sir Run Run Shaw-Philanthropy
Lin Ma-Development of Higher Education in Hong Kong and Education Exchange
1988
Richard Doll-Medicine
Bernard Greenhouse-Music
Barrett Hazeltine-Engineering
Theodore Lowi-Political Science
Frederick Morgan-Poet-Editor
Carl Schorske-History
Robert Weinberg-Medicine
1987
Albert Banduar-Psychology
Wayne Clayson Booth-English
Umberto Eco-Semiotics
Donald Ervin Knuth-Computer Science
1986
Richard Garwin-Physics
Eric Kandel-Neurobiology
William Riker-Political Science
1985
Salo Baron-History of Judaism
Margaret Burbidge-Astrophysics
S.S. Chern-Mathematics
Betty Friedan-Writer-Feminist
Henry Taube-Chemistry
1984
Lipman Bers-Mathematics
Lee Krasner-Artist
Henri Peyre-French Literature
Sarah Ratner-Biology
Sewall Wright-Biology
1983
Maurice Goldhaber-Physics
Barbara McClintock-Biology
Bayard Rustin-Public Service
Lewis Thomas-Medicine