Honorary degrees
History of Honorary Degrees
Harvard was the first university to confer honorary degrees in 1692. Since then it has become a recognized function of degree granting institutions. Honorary degrees are an opportunity for universities to single out people who have made contributions to society. At ASU, honorary degree recipients are nominated by faculty members. The Academic Affairs Honorary Degrees Committee reviews faculty nominations for the honorary degree. It then recommends candidates to the president. The committee is appointed by and responsible to the president.
Past Degree Recipients
| Recipient | Conferred By | Date Conferred |
|---|---|---|
| Lonnie Bunch | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 9, 2022
|
| Ruth McGregor | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 9, 2022
|
| David Brooks | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 6, 2019
|
| Rafael Reif | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 7, 2018
|
| Howard Schultz | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 8, 2017
|
| Sir William Castell LVO | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 9, 2016
|
| Wendy Kopp | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 9, 2016
|
| Carolyn Porco | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 11, 2015
|
| John Seeley Brown | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 11, 2015
|
| Joseph E. Stigliltz | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 14, 2014
|
| Pamela A. Matson | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 14, 2014
|
| Freeman A. Hrabowski, III | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 14, 2014
|
| Juan Ramón de la Fuente | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 9, 2013
|
| Clayton M. Christensen | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 9, 2013
|
| Janine M. Benyus | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 9, 2013
|
| Lim Chuan Poh | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 2, 2012
|
| Eric R. Kandel | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 2, 2012
|
| Temple Grandin | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 2, 2012
|
| Tom Brokaw | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 2, 2012
|
| James J. Duderstadt | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 14, 2008
|
| Leland Hartwell | ASU President Michael Crow |
Dec. 13, 2007
|
| J. Craig Venter | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 10, 2007
|
| Jane Dee Hull | ASU President Michael Crow |
Dec. 14, 2006
|
| Frank H.T. Rhodes | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 11, 2006
|
| Wu Qidi | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 11, 2006
|
| The Right Honourable Kim Campbell | ASU President Michael Crow |
Dec. 15, 2005
|
| Lord John Browne of Madingley | ASU President Michael Crow |
Dec. 15, 2005
|
| Blake Edwards | ASU President Michael Crow |
Sep. 23, 2005
|
| Peterson Zah | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 12, 2005
|
| Lawrence Douglas Wilder | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 13, 2004
|
| Rafael Rangel Sostmann | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 13, 2004
|
| Rita R. Colwell | ASU President Michael Crow |
May 13, 2004
|
| Bob Stump | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 19, 2002
|
| John R. Christian | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 2, 2002
|
| Rex G. Maughan | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 9, 2002
|
| Jerry Colangelo | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 9, 2002
|
| Jewell McFarland Lewis | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 31, 2001
|
| Delbert Ray Lewis | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 31, 2001
|
| Robert H. Johnson | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 31, 2001
|
| Richard Berlin Snell | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 10, 2001
|
| Alice Wiley Snell | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 10, 2001
|
| L. William Seidman | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 14, 2000
|
| Marilyn A. Papp | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 14, 2000
|
| L. Roy Papp | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 14, 2000
|
| Lamonte H. Lawrence | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 4, 2000
|
| Nadine Severns Carson | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 4, 2000
|
| Rudy E. Campbell | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 2000
|
| Barbara McConnell Barrett | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 2000
|
| Craig E. Weatherup | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 17, 1999
|
| Alfredo Gutierres | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 17, 1999
|
| Raul Yzaguirre | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 14, 1999
|
| Eddie Basha | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 14, 1999
|
| Leon Howard Sullivan | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 18, 1998
|
| Norman William Fain | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 18, 1998
|
| Wm. Polk Carey | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 7, 1998
|
| Craig R. Barrett | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 15, 1998
|
| John P. Frank | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 19, 1997
|
| Newton Rosenzweig | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 8, 1997
|
| Jack W. Whiteman | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 16, 1997
|
| Paul J. Fannin | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 16, 1997
|
| John F. Long | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 20, 1996
|
| Chang-Lin Tien | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 20, 1996
|
| Frank J. Sackton | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 9, 1996
|
| Gary L. Tooker | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 10, 1996
|
| William S. Hoover | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 10, 1996
|
| Florence Nelson | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 10, 1995
|
| Ernest Boyer | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 14, 1995
|
| Rita Dove | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 14, 1995
|
| Edward Bud Jacobson | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 14, 1995
|
| Margaret Gisolo | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 14, 1994
|
| Jonathan Marshall | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 14, 1994
|
| Maxine Marshall | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 14, 1994
|
| Virginia Ullman | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 5, 1994
|
| Keith Turley | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 5, 1994
|
| Herman Chanen | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1994
|
| Rose Mofford | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1994
|
| Paul Elsner | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 14, 1993
|
| Edward Carson | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 10, 1993
|
| Polly Rosenbaum | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1993
|
| Jesse Jones | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1993
|
| Dwight Patterson | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1993
|
| Daniel Nagrin | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 18, 1992
|
| Louise Solheim | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 18, 1992
|
| Karsten Solheim | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 18, 1992
|
| Marvin Morrison | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Aug. 11, 1992
|
| Willard Pedrick | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1992
|
| Alan Pritsker | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1992
|
| Tony Hillerman | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1992
|
| Cesar Chavez | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1992
|
| Frank X. Gordon | ASU President Lattie Coor |
Dec. 8, 1991
|
| G. Robert Herberger | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 10, 1991
|
| Yuan T. Lee | ASU President Lattie Coor |
May 11, 1990
|
| Rabbi Albert Plotkin | ASU President Richard Peck |
Dec. 22, 1989
|
| Pearl Bailey | ASU President Richard Peck |
Dec. 22, 1989
|
| William Kajikawa | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Aug. 5, 1989
|
| Lorraine Frank | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 12, 1989
|
| Walter Cronkite | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 12, 1989
|
| Art Buchwald | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Dec. 16, 1988
|
| Jovita R. Salonga | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Dec. 16, 1988
|
| Robert J. Eggert | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Aug. 5, 1988
|
| Robert S. Dietz | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 13, 1988
|
| Edson W. Spencer | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Dec. 18, 1987
|
| Kax Herberger | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Aug. 7, 1987
|
| Mo Udall | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Aug. 7, 1987
|
| Virginia Galvin Piper | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1987
|
| Gerald Wasserburg | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1987
|
| Frank Snell | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1987
|
| Henry Cisneros | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Dec. 19, 1986
|
| William Reilley | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Nov. 7, 1986
|
| John I. Yellott | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Aug. 8, 1986
|
| Sylvia Porter | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 16, 1986
|
| Edward J. Dwight Jr. | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 16, 1986
|
| William G. Payne | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 17, 1985
|
| Kathryn K. Gammage | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 17, 1985
|
| Northurp H. Fry | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 17, 1985
|
| William A. Fowler | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 17, 1985
|
| Edward F. Albee | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 17, 1985
|
| Leonyte Price | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
March, 8, 1985
|
| James William Creaseman | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 11, 1984
|
| Sandra Day O'Connor | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 11, 1984
|
| G.M. Sollenberger | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1983
|
| Tom Chauncey | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1983
|
| Martha Graham | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Oct. 17, 1982
|
| Mstislav Rostropovich | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
Aug. 6, 1982
|
| Alan duBois | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1982
|
| James Dickey | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 14, 1982
|
| Freddy Chiappelli | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 14, 1982
|
| Steve Allen | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 14, 1982
|
| Herb and Dorothy McLaughlin | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1981
|
| Philip C. Curtis | ASU President J. Russell Nelson |
May 15, 1981
|
| Robert Penn Warren | ASU President John Schwada |
April 21, 1980
|
| Paul L. Singer | ASU President John Schwada |
May 16, 1980
|
| Vincent Persichetti | ASU President John Schwada |
May 16, 1980
|
| Erma Bombeck | ASU President John Schwada |
May 16, 1980
|
| David C. Lincoln | ASU President John Schwada |
May 18, 1979
|
| Henry Eyring | ASU President John Schwada |
May 19, 1978
|
| Bart Jan Bok | ASU President John Schwada |
May 19, 1978
|
| Louise Lincoln Kerr | ASU President John Schwada |
May 13, 1977
|
| John J. Rhodes | ASU President John Schwada |
May 14, 1976
|
| Mae S. Talley | ASU President John Schwada |
May 14, 1976
|
| Robert W. Galvin | ASU President John Schwada |
May 16, 1975
|
| Herbert G. Fales | ASU President John Schwada |
May 16, 1975
|
| Hugh Downs | ASU President John Schwada |
May 17, 1974
|
| Paul Rappaport | ASU President John Schwada |
May 17, 1974
|
| Ernest W. McFarland | ASU President John Schwada |
May 18, 1973
|
| Paolo Soleri | ASU President John Schwada |
May 18, 1973
|
| O.D. Miller | ASU President John Schwada |
June 2, 1972
|
| Raul H. Castro | ASU President John Schwada |
June 2, 1972
|
| Pablo Casals | ASU President John Schwada |
Mar. 30, 1972
|
| Arthur B. Schellenberg | ASU President John Schwada |
June 1, 1971
|
| Richard A. Harvill | ASU President John Schwada |
June 1, 1971
|
| George Homer Durham | ASU President John Schwada |
June 1, 1971
|
| Ernest J. Hopkins | ASU President Harry Newburn |
June 2, 1970
|
| Charles Stewart Mott | ASU President Harry Newburn |
Jan 13, 1970
|
| Frank Borman | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 3, 1969
|
| John Hope Franklin | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 3, 1969
|
| Harlan Cleveland | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 4, 1968
|
| Lewis Judah Ruskin | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 4, 1968
|
| Karl Clayton Leebrick | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 26, 1967
|
| Robert Jeffrey Hannelly | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 26, 1967
|
| Harold David Richardson | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 26, 1967
|
| James Bryon McCormick | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 27, 1966
|
| John Alfred Hannah | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 27, 1966
|
| George Fuller Miller | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 1, 1965
|
| Stewart Lee Udall | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 1, 1965
|
| Julius Charles Wetzler | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 26, 1964
|
| Lillian Moller Gilbreth | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 26, 1964
|
| Harvey Harlow Nininger | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 4, 1963
|
| Lynn Meade Laney | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 4, 1963
|
| Walter Early Craig | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 4, 1963
|
| Linton Elias Grinter | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 5, 1962
|
| George W. Romney | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
June 5, 1962
|
| Barry Morris Goldwater | ASU President G. Homer Durham |
May 30, 1961
|
| John Robert Murdock | ASU President Harold D. Richardson |
May 31, 1960
|
| Carl Hayden | ASU President Grady Gammage |
Nov. 14, 1959
|
| Eugene Collins Pulliam | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 26, 1959
|
| Carlos P. Garcia | ASU President Grady Gammage |
June 25, 1958
|
| Carl Sauer | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 27, 1958
|
| John Cromwell Lincoln | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 27, 1958
|
| Walter Reed Bimson | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 27, 1958
|
| Howard Pyle | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 28, 1957
|
| Daniel Earl Noble | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 28, 1957
|
| Harvie Leslie taylor | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 29, 1956
|
| Alfred Knight | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 29, 1956
|
| Arthur Ervin Smith | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 24, 1955
|
| Abraham Lincoln Krohn | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 24, 1955
|
| Ira Dawson Payne | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 26, 1953
|
| Samuel Henry Morris | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 26, 1953
|
| Charles A. Stauffer | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 22, 1951
|
| Arthur John Matthews | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 28, 1940
|
| Fredrick M. Irish | ASU President Grady Gammage |
May 28, 1940
|