University of Washington Commencement 2008

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Honorary Degrees at the University of Washington

Overview

The bestowing of honorary degrees is a traditional element of the commencement ceremony at many universities. The first University of Washington honorary degree, a Doctor of Laws, was conferred in 1885 by the territorial university to Orange Jacobs, who later became a local judge. Two years later, the UW conferred three Doctor of Divinity degrees to local religious ministers and in 1894 it granted an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree to the editor of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Frederic James Grant. Between 1894 and 2002, the University awarded only one honorary degree. It was presented, in 1921, to French Marshal Ferdinand Foch, who led the Allied forces in World War I.

Eighty years passed before the Faculty Senate, in 2002, passed legislation that specified procedures for resuming the practice of awarding honorary degrees, with the responsibility for recommending them vested in the Faculty Council on University Relations. Five honorary degrees have been awarded since.

Desmond Mpilo Tutu
Doctor of Humane Letters
An Academic Convocation was held in May of 2002 to bestow a Doctor of Humane Letters on Desmond Mpilo Tutu, Archbishop Emeritus of Cape Town, South Africa and 1984 Nobel Peace Prize recipient. Desmond Tutu was presented with an Honorary Degree and the Citation for the Honorary Degree.

Madeleine Korbel Albright

Doctor of Laws
During the 127th Commencement Ceremony in June of 2002 a Doctor of Laws was bestowed on Madeleine Korbel Albright, former U.S. Secretary of State. Madeleine Albright was presented with an Honorary Degree and the Citation for the Honorary Degree.

Albright

August Wilson
Doctor of Arts
During the 129th Commencement Ceremony in June of 2004 a Doctor of Arts was bestowed on August Wilson, playwright and two-time Pulitzer Prize winner. August Wilson was presented with an Honorary Degree and the Citation for the Honorary Degree.

William D. Ruckelshaus

Doctor of Laws
During the 131st Commencement Ceremony in June of 2006 a Doctor of Laws was bestowed on William D. Ruckelshaus, a two time administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). William Ruckelshaus was presented with an Honorary Degree and the Citation for the Honorary Degree

Ruckelshaus

Tenzin Gyatso, His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama
Doctor of Humane Letters
A special convocation was held on April 14, 2008, to bestow a Doctor of Humane Letters on His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of Tibet and the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize recipient. The Dalai Lama was awarded an Honorary Degree and given the Citation for the Honorary Degree.

UW Japanese American students of 1941 and 1942.

Bachelor of Arts
On May 18, 2008, honorary Bachelor of Arts degrees were bestowed on 450 former UW Japanese American students, who were forced to leave the University in 1942 following an executive order by President Franklin Roosevelt that led to the incarceration of approximately 120,000 Japanese Americans on the west coast. In 1988 Congress passed a resolution which officially apologized for and redressed the injustices suffered by Japanese Americans due to this order. Honorees were presented with mementos containing the Citation for the Honorary Degree, special stoles (seen worn by the honorees in the photo at the right), and copies of The Fountain and the Mountain, a history, with beautiful photos, of the UW campus.

(Click on photo to enlarge.)

Quincy Delight Jones, Jr.
Doctor of Humane Letters
At the 133rd University of Washington Commencement Ceremony, held on June 14, 2008, a Doctor of Arts was bestowed on Quincy Jones, legendary producer, arranger, composer, director and humanitarian. Mr. Jones was presented an Honorary Degree and the Citation for the Honorary Degree.