Honorary Degrees
The tradition of awarding honorary degrees at Loyola University Chicago began in 1878. Conferred by the University's Board of Trustees, these degrees recognize individuals for their contributions in the advancement of knowledge, example as a model of achievement and commitment to the common good, and commitment to the values and ideals of the University's Jesuit, Catholic heritage.
2025 Recipient
.jpg "Commencement Honorary Degree Recipient Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., PhD")
Rev. Michael J. Garanzini, S.J., PhD
President, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities; President Emeritus, Loyola University Chicago
Candidate for the degree Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa
Mary L. Smith, JD (BS '84)
Immediate Past President, American Bar Association; Former CEO, Indian Health Service
Candidate for the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Past Year Recipients
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa in 1925
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 1960
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa in 1966
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 1970
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa in 1928
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 1970
Community Leader; Executive Director, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2009
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa in 1972
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 1970
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 1970
Humanitarian, President & Co-Founder, Free the Slaves; Emeritus Professor, Roehampton University
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2010
Consultant, Archdiocese of Chicago
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the Quinlan School of Business in 2007
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2002
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2000
Co-Founder of Tellabs; Head of Nursing Health, Tellabs
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2002
Founder/Executive Director, Jobs for a Future-Homeboy Industries
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Social Work in 2007.
Pastor, Preacher, Advocate of Human Rights, Presbyterian Church
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2002
Potter Distinguished Professor of Nursing, Vanderbilt University
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by the Marcella Niehoff School of Nursing in 2012
Associate Professor of Biology
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa in 2000
Illinois Supreme Court
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa by the School of Law in 2008
WBBM Radio, Reporter WTTW TV
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2001
Professor of Social Work, University of Milan; President, European Association of Schools of Social Work
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Social Work in 2009
Executive Director, NETWORK
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School and Institute of Pastoral Studies in 2018
State Advocate General, Italy
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa by the School of Law in 2011
Cardinal Deacon, Santa Maria in Via Lata
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2001
Educator; AIDS Activist; Co-Founder, St. Aloysius Gonzaga High School Nairobi, Kenya
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2009
Internationally Recognized Research Scientist
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa in 2002
Executive Director, Amnesty International, USA
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2007
Legislator, Cook County Sheriff
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2011
Co-Founder, Tabet DiVito & Rothstein LLC; Adjunct Faculty, LUC School of Law
Awarded the Doctor of Laws, honoris causa by the School of Law in 2013
Director, National Institute of Allergy & Infectious Diseases
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2006
Founding Member & Past President, Physicians for Human Rights; Physicians for Social Responsibility
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by the Stritch School of Medicine in 2010
President & CEO, Ronald McDonald House Charities
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2013
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2000
Provost & Executive Vice President, St. Louis University
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa in 2010
Pulitzer Prize Nominee, Author, Historian
Awarded the Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2017
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2005
General Counsel, Archdiocese of Chicago
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Laws, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2016
Professor of Biological Science, Alabama State University
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2013
Emeritus Professor, Thrombosis Research Institute
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2007
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Education in 2005
Reporter and News Anchor, ABC News
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2000
Professor of Environmental Science & Policy, George Mason University; Founder, PBS Series 'Nature'
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2012
Composer, Pianist/Jazz Musician
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2008
Distinguished Professor of Public Health and Psychiatry, Director of the Centers for American Indian & Alaska Native Health
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by the Parkinson School of Health Sciences and Public Health in 2022
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2003
Principal, Shatkin, Arbor & Karlov
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2000
Professor & TV Producer, Advocate Displaced
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2002
Director, Jesuit Migrant Services of Mexico
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Social Work in 2012
Vice Chairman, Tata Steel Group
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the Quinlan School of Business in 2010
Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics, Emeritus, Oberlin College
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Environmental Sustainability
Brigadier General, United States Army (Retired); Health Care Executive; Educator
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2017
Executive Director, Interfaith Youth Core; Member, White House Faith Advisory Council
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2010
Professor & Head, Department of Cardiology, Grant Medical College, India
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by The Graduate School and the Institute of Pastoral Studies in 2012
Executive Director, Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the Institute of Pastoral Studies in 2020
Senior White House Correspondent, CBS This Morning, CBS Evening News with Scott Pelley
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Communication in 2016
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2004
Neurosurgeon, Researcher & Author, Johns Hopkins University
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2016
Community Leader; Executive Director, United States Hispanic Leadership Institute
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2009
CEO, Terrence J. Roberts & Associates; Civil Rights Advocate and Author
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2019
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2003
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2003
Humanitarian; President, Hotel Rwanda Rusesabagina Foundation
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2009
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2016.
Superintendent of Archdiocese Chicago
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2001
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the Quinlan School of Business in 2003
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2003
President, Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2019
Director, Oscar Romero Pastoral Center
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Continuing Studies in 2014
Founder & Executive Director, Equal Justice Initiative
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the Stritch School of Medicine in 2011
President, Council of Graduate Schools
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2013
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies in 2005
Senior Chaplain, Stritch School of Medicine
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa in 2000
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the School of Continuing and Professional Studies in 2005
Broadcaster and Author
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2006
Humanitarian; Ambassador to the Haitian Ministry of the Environment
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2015
Humanitarian & Founder, Tinogona Foundation
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2014
Social Activist; Member, Little Rock Nine
Awarded by the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2008
Senior Program Officer in U.S. Programs for Scholarships and Postsecondary Success of the Gates Millennium Scholars Program
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by The Graduate School in 2011
Author, Pulitzer Prize Finalist, University of Illinois
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2013
Board Member, Chief Medical & Scientific Officer, Takeda Pharmaceutical Corporation
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Science, honoris causa by the Stritch School of Medicine in 2013
Emeritus Professor of Psychology, Stanford University
Awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters, honoris causa by the College of Arts & Sciences in 2010