What Is an Honorary Degree?
An honorary degree (degree honoris causa, Latin for "for the sake of the honor") is an academic degree awarded without the usual requirements of matriculation or examinations, typically to recognize distinguished achievement or service to society. The tradition dates to the Middle Ages; one of the earliest recorded honorary degrees was awarded to Lionel Woodville by the University of Oxford in the late 1470s.Washburn's tradition of honorary degrees
- First conferred: 1888
- Highest academic recognition: Reserved for individuals who demonstrate exceptional standards of excellence.
- What we recognize:
- Scholarship or significant achievement
- Public service to the community, state, nation, or world
- Wholehearted commitment to the development of Washburn University
- Excellence in any calling that visibly advances society and serves as a model for present and future generations
- Connection to Kansas/Washburn: Recipients generally have notable ties to the State of Kansas or to Washburn (birth, residence, education, service, or achievement).
Nominations & selection
Who can nominate? Faculty, students, Washburn University Foundation members, Washburn Board of Regents members and Alumni Association members.
When to nominate: Late September each year.
How nominations are reviewed:
- Nominations are submitted to the Honorary Degree Committee.
- The committee reviews submissions and forwards recommendations to the University President.
- The President brings candidates to the Board of Regents for formal action.
- Confidentiality: Nominations and recommendations remain confidential until approved by the Board.
Degrees typically conferred
- Doctor of Law (LL.D.): Outstanding public service
- Doctor of Science (Sc.D.): Distinction in any science
- Doctor of Literature (Litt.D.): Literary creation or scholarship
- Doctor of Fine Arts (D.F.A.): Distinction in the fine arts
- Doctor of Music (D.Mus.): Distinction in musical composition, performance or scholarship
- Doctor of Divinity (D.D.): Distinction in theological scholarship or pastoral work
- Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.): Outstanding citizen
- Doctor of Public Service (D.P.S.): Distinction in public service
- Doctor of Pedagogy (Ped.D.): Distinction in teaching profession
- Doctor of Commerce (D.Comm.): Distinction in business
1888
Rev. Francis T. Ingalls D.D.
Judge David J. Brewer LL.D.
1891
Solon O. Thacher LL.D.
1892
Rev. James G. Dougherty D.D.
Rev. Linus Blakesley D.D.
1902
Francis L. Hayes D.D.
John C. McClintock LL.D.
John W. Scroggs D.D.
Harrison Hannahs Hon. M.A.
1904
William O. Johnston LL.D.
William H. Rossington LL.D.
1905
Archibald McCullough LL.D.
Henry E. Thayer D.D.
Luther Denny Wittemore D.Litt.
1908
L.C. Schnacke D.D.
C.H. Small D.D.
1910
Calvin Blodgett Moody D.D.
John B. Silcox D.D.
1911
Henry Frederick Cope D.D.
1912
James E. Adams D.D.
Hiram Blake Harrison D.D.
1913
William Francis Bowen M. of Chirurgery 1914
Jacob C. Mohler LL.D.
1915
Milton Smith Littlefield D.D.
Harry Olson LL.D.
Frank Knight Sanders LL.D.
1916
Duncan Lendrum McEachron LL.D.
1917
Noble S. Elderkin D.D.
Morris H. Turk D.D.
Harry B. Wilson LL.D.
1918
James Wise D. Litt.
1919
William Asbury Harshbarger D. Sci.
Margaret Hill McCarter D. Litt.
Henry F. Mason D. Litt.
1921
Henry J. Allen LL.D.
Edward G. Buckland LL.D.
1922
Ozora S. Davis LL.D.
Frank M. Sheldon D.D.
1923
Harwod O. Benton Hon. A.M.
Angelus T. Burch Hon. A.M.
Arthur S. Champeny Hon. A.M.
Arthur E. Hertzler LL.D.
1925
Charles Curtis LL.D.
Oscar A. Kropf LL.D.
Richard E. Kropf LL.D.
Charlotte Mendell Leaveitt D. Litt.
1926
Frank Smithies D. Sci.
Robert Stone LL.D.
Richard L. Sutton D. Sci.
John Nipps Hon. A.M.
1927
John S. Dawson LL.D.
Alfred E. Gregory D.D.
Ed W. Howe D. Litt.
Wallace Thompson D. Litt.
1928
Sardius Mason Brewster LL.D.
Stephen S. Estey LL.D.
1929
George H. Whitcomb LL.D.
Draper Talman Schoonover L.H.D.
Bertha Lovewell Dickinson D. Litt.
1930
Willis Laiten Goldsmith D.D.
Irene Nye L.H.D.
Parley Paul Womer LL.D.
1931
Arthur Capper LL.D.
Arthur J. Carruth, Jr. D.Litt.
Lee Eldas Phillips LL.D.
1932
Harold Taylor Chase L.H.D.
John Henry Hornung D.D.
1933
Jessie Dean D. Litt.
Alfred Mossman Landon LL.D.
Frank Martin Mohler LL.D.
1934
John Francis Hughes L.H.D.
1935
Harry K. Allen LL.D.
Thomas Allen McNeal LL.D.
Aaron James Stout L.H.D.
1936
A.A. Godard LL.D.
1937
Frank A. Quail LL.D.
Frances Davis Whittemore D.F.A.
1938
Anton T. Boisen D.D.
Horace Whitehouse D.Mus.
1939
Mrs. Dora McLaughlin Burgess D.Litt.
Ernest H. Lindley LL.D.
Herbert George Titt LL.D.
1940
John E. Erickson LL.D.
George Enfield Frazer LL.D.
William A. Irwin LL.D.
Anthony E. Karnes LL.D.
Wilson S. Naylor L.H.D.
Harry H. Woodring LL.D.
1941
Charles L. Atkins D.D.
Lawrence M. Graves D.Sci.
Phillip C. King LL.D.
Robert W. Warner D.Sci.
1942
Rees H. Hughes LL.D.
Dean W. Mallott LL.D.
Arthur G. Sellen L.H.D.
1943
Francis D. Farrell LL.D.
George P. Grimsley D.Sci.
1947
George Edgar Bergen D.D.
1949
William Merrill Mills D.Sc.
Karl Augustus Menninger D.Sc.
William Claire Menninger D.Sc.
Ray Guernsey Lamberson D.Litt.
1951
William Addison Neiswanger LL.D.
Clifford Ragsdale Hope LL.D.
1953
John Warren Day D.D.
Stacy R. Guild D.Sc.
Karl M. Bowman D.Sc.
1954
Gladden Whetstone Baker LL.D.
Edward Ray Sloan LL.D.
James Stanley Twyford LL.D.
John Parks Coe D.Sc.
Volney Schafer Cheney Honorary Diploma of Graduation from the Academy Class of 1892
1955
Bruce W. Trull LL.D.
1956
Robert Hills Kingman D.Sc.
Cleveland Scott Loper D.Sc.
Helen Dolman MacCracken D.Litt.
William Amos Smith LL.S.
1957
Annie B. Sweet LL.D.
Herbert Bernard Loper LL.D.
David Neiswanger LL.D.
1958
Ray Hugh Garvey LL.D.
Donald Read Heath LL.D.
Delmas Carl Hill LL.D.
1959
Dale Elbert Sharp LL.D.
Alfred Bixby Quinton, Jr. LL.D.
1960
Rolla Neil Harger D.Sc.
Norman Roster Ramsey
1961
Norman P. Auburn D.Litt.
Nathaniel Edgar Saxe D.Litt.
Oscar S. Stauffer D.Litt.
1962
Dean E. Ackers D.Sc.
Henry A. Bubb D.B.A.
R. Charles Clevenger D.B.A.
W. Laird Dean L.H.D.
Angelus Teague Burch D.Litt.
Philip Wright Whitcomb D.Litt.
Robert Mason Clark LL.D.
1963
Maude Mary Bishop L.H.D.
John R. Emens LL.D.
Ned N. Fleming D.B.A.
Olive White Garvey D.H.
1964
Dwight L. Bolinger D.Litt.
Day Monroe D.Sc.
Carl Thomas Rowan D.H.L.
1965
James Bradbury Thompson D.F.A.
Ida Gladys Phinney D.H.L.
Paul Joseph Lovewell LL.D.
Vernon J. Dunton LL.D.
1966
Georgia Neese Gray D.B.A.
Robert W. Sarnoff D.F.A.
1967
Senator Frank Carlson LL.D.
Benjamin Franklin L.H.D.
General Howard S. Searle LL.D.
1968
Senator Harry Darby LL.D.
Dr. Hugh G. Wales D.Sc.
1969
No honorary degrees granted at Commencement
Law School Building Dedication, September 27, 1969
Earl H. Hatcher LL.D.
Robert J. Dole LL.D.
The Honorable Byron R. White LL.D.
1970
No honorary degrees granted at Commencement Law Day Convocation - May 1, 1970
Richard James Farrell LL.D.
1971
Harold R. Fatzer LL.D.
H. George Templar LL.D.
Dwight David Eisenhower LL.D.
(awarded posthumously October 15, 1971)
1972
Leon Jaworski LL.D.
1973
No honorary degrees granted at Commencement
1974
Robert B. Docking LL.D.
Sherman Everett Fetter D.M.
Theo Cobb Landon D.H.
1975
No honorary degrees granted at Commencement
1976
Tom C. Clark LL.D.
Charles A. Pollak D.B.A.
Richard G. Vogel D.B.A.
1977
Albert B. Fletcher, Jr. LL.D.
Donald P. Moyers LL.D.
1978
Merton B. French D.H.
Elisabeth D. Van Schaack D.H.
F. Mark Garlinghouse LL.D.
Robert J. Myers D.Sc.
J. Hambleton Abrams D.B.A.
1979
Robert L. Brock LL.D.
Edwin R. Linquist LL.D.
Robert M. Bunten D.B.A.
Ruth Friedrich D.H.
1980
William E. Treadway LL.D.
Paul Eberhard D.Sc.
George E. Ramskill D.B.A.
Charles S. Joss D.Sc.
1981
Joseph Wilson Morris LL.D.
Edwin Arnold Menninger D.Sc.
Ruth Garvey Fink D.H.
Louis Pozez D.B.A.
Dr. Robert Grice D.Sc.
Philip H. Lewis LL.D.
1982
Dr. Walter Menninger D.Sc.
David Mosso D.Com.
Mamie Luella Williams D.Ed.
1983
Gwendolyn Brooks D.Litt.
James L. Dutt D.Com.
Meyer Ueoka (Law) LL.D.
1984
Lawrence Van Cott Niven D.Litt.
Raymond A. Stewart, Jr. D.Com.
John Shamberg, J.D. LL.D.
1985
Clyde Hill L.H.D.
John F. Kilmartin D.Com.
William H. Kurtis D.Litt.
Robert Joseph Dole (Law) D.C.L.
1986
Cha Too Koo D.Com.
Knud Helm-Erichson D.Lett.
Gerald L. Michaud LL.D.
1987
Phillip H. Lewis JS.D. Irving Sheffel D.H.
Beth Sheffel D.H.
Don Estes D.Com.
Martha Rogers D.Sci.
1988
Zula Bennington Green D.H.L.
Larry D. Horner D.Com.
Hee Ho Lee L.H.D.
Kim Dae Jung (delivered 1998) L.H.D.
1989
Ronald K. Richey D.Com.
John W. Ripley D. L.
Lawrence T. Litwin D.H.L.
Malcolm S. Forbes LL.D.
1990
Miriam Baker Loo D.Com.
Arthur Allen Fletcher D.H.L.
Judge D. Jerome Harman LL.D.
Judge Sherman A. Parks LL.D.
1991
Judge Richard Holmes LL.D.
Dr. John Travis D.Sc.
1992
Dr. Glen Archer D.Ed.
Dr. John Slaughter D.H.L.
1993
William Koch D.F.A.
Jim Lehrer L.H.D.
Emery Fager D.Comm.
1994
Walter D. Broadnax L.H.D.
David L. Nelson Sc.D.
Richard K. Davidson D.Comm.
Grant Cushinberry L.H.D.
1995
Joan Finney D.P.S.
Douglas Wilmore Sc.D. 1996 Desmond Egan Litt.D.
Barbara King Wilson L.H.D.
1997
Charles Koch D.Comm.
Urilla Bowman L.H.D.
1998
Lou Falley D.Comm.
Joan Foth D.F.A.
1999
Greg Brenneman D.Comm.
Billie Moore L.H.D.
2000
John C. "Jack" Dicus L.H.D.
Jack Richmond D. Comm.
Delano Lewis LL.D.
Mark V. Heitz LL.D.
cis E. (Gene) Reardon D. Comm.
Stanley H. Stauffer L.H.D.
2002 Charles B. Axton D.Mus.
Gerald Goodell LL.D.
William (Bill) Lyman Dibble D. Comm.
Cheryl Brown Henderson L.H.D.
John L. Kemp L.L.D.
Carl C. Nordstrom D.P.S.
2004
Paul L. Brady L.L.D.
Pamela G. Hollie L.H.D.
James S. Maag D. Comm.
2005
Steven L. Kitchen D. Comm
Margaret W. Maxwell Litt.D
2006
Sam A. Crow L.L.D.
Jonathan D. Kuhn D.F.A.
Frank Sabatini D. Comm.
Judith Sabatini D.F.A.
2007
Michael C. Manning L.L.D.
Timothy N. Etzel D. Comm.
2008
John R. Adams L.H.D.
Anderson W. Chandler D. Comm.
William R. Roy, Sr. D.P.S.
2009
Robert E. Duffens D. Comm.
Chief Justice Kay E. McFarland, Ret. L.L.D.
James W. Sloan L.H.D.
2010
D. Duke Dupre L.L.D.
Dean F. Ferrell L.H.D.
James L. Ketcherside D.P.S.
Jere Noe D. Comm.
2011
Bernard A. Bianchino D.P.S.
Richard C. Hite L.L.D.
Jo Ann Klemmer Litt.D.
Robert W. Richmond D.P.S.
2012
The Honorable Christel Trolenberg Marquardt L.L.D.
Brigadier General Deborah S. Rose, USAF, Ret. D.P.S.
2013
Betty McEnroe Casper D.P.S.
Barry F. Feaker D.P.S.
Stanley C. Sager L.L.D.
2014
The Honorable J. Patrick L.L.D.
Brazil Beth Fontron Fager L.H.D.
Steven S. Martin D.P.S.
John Edgar Tidwell, PhD Litt.D.
2015
George A. Barton L.L.D.
Edward L. Glotzbach D.P.S.
William B. Greiner D. Comm.
Jeanne Smith Hoferer D.P.S.
2016
John R. Hamilton LL.D.
zo Harrison D.P.S.
Mayo M. Schmidt D.Comm.
Barbara R. Waterman-Peters D.F.A.
2017
Ben Coates D.P.S.
B. Kent Garlinghouse L.H.D.
Grace Sawyer Jones LL.D Kerry E. McQueen L.H.D.
2018
John H. Stauffer, Sr. L.H.D.
Jacki Summerson D. Comm.
Dale Pond D. Comm.
J. Thomas Marten L.L.D.
2019
Rita Blitt D.F.A.
Bob Harvey D.P.S.
Bill Malloy D. Comm.
Teri Wood L.L.D.
2020 (Awarded 2021)
Robert Meinershagen Sc.D.
Gilbert Galle D.Comm.
Pedro Irigonegaray LL.D.
2021
Elizabeth Farnsworth L.H.D.
Gilbert Galle D.Comm.
Robert Meinershagen Sc.D.
2022
Cynthia G. Heath LL.D.
Kristin S. Rinne Sc.D.
Mark E. Yardley D.Comm.
2023
Susan Lowe Farley L.H.D
Dr. David D. Woods D.Mus.
Blanche C. Parks D.P.S.
The Honorable Maria Luckert LL.D.
2024
Richard Ross L.H.D.
Bette Morris D.F.A.
T.C. Broadnax, Jr. D.P.S.
James Concannon LL.D.
