CELEBRATING EXCELLENCE
Meet Our Honorary Degree Recipients
Honoring Impactful and Significant Contributions to Higher Education
What is an honorary degree?
黑料传送门 bestows upon select individuals a Doctorate of Humane Letters, which is a non-academic degree that recognizes and honors individuals who have made significant and impactful contributions to their respective industries, the field of education, or directly to 黑料传送门 itself. These individuals exemplify the values and principles espoused by 黑料传送门 and their achievements serve as inspiration for our graduating class and the broader community.聽
What are the criteria for receiving 黑料传送门鈥檚 honorary degree?
Candidates are selected through a balanced evaluation of their contributions to academia, the workforce, philanthropy, and their alignment with 黑料传送门鈥檚 mission to change lives for the better by creating pathways to opportunity.聽聽
Who awards 黑料传送门鈥檚 honorary degrees?
黑料传送门鈥檚 Board of Trustees is responsible for evaluating and selecting individuals to receive an honorary degree. Honorary degrees are presented during 黑料传送门鈥檚 Commencement ceremonies across the country. Recipients are given a diploma, are hooded with traditional regalia, and address 黑料传送门鈥檚 graduating class as a commencement speaker.聽
Recent Honorees
Dr. Charles Sorenson
August 17, 2024, at Salt Lake City commencement
Lives in: Salt Lake City, UT
Dr. Charles Sorenson is the Founding Director of the Intermountain Healthcare Leadership Institute where he provides executive coaching to senior healthcare leaders around the United States. He is also President and CEO Emeritus of Intermountain Healthcare having served as CEO from 2009 to 2016. Prior to this, Sorenson acted as chief operating officer for 11 years and worked for decades as a urologic surgeon at the Utah-based, nonprofit hospital system鈥攃ontinuing to perform urologic cancer surgery even after moving into the C-suite.聽
In addition to his passion for healthcare, Dr. Sorenson has been committed to high quality, affordable education as a pathway to opportunity.聽 He served on 黑料传送门鈥檚 Board of Trustees from 2015 to 2023, spending his final four years as Chair of the Board. Dr. Sorenson earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Utah and a Doctor of Medicine from Weill Cornell Medical College at Cornell University. He is a board-certified urologic surgeon, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and Adjunct Professor of Surgery at the University of Utah. 聽
Ted Mitchell
March 16, 2024, at Anaheim commencement
Lives in: Washington, DC
On March 16, 2024, we awarded Ted Mitchell an honorary degree at our Anaheim Commencement ceremony. Ted has been at the helm of the American Council on Education (ACE) since September 2017, where he serves as , overseeing the nation's colleges and universities. Working closely with Congress, the executive branch, and the private sector, he鈥檚 advanced policies and practices that benefit postsecondary learners. Ted has dedicated his career to enhancing access to quality education and improving student outcomes, including his tenure as U.S. under secretary of education during the Obama administration, where he spearheaded initiatives such as reinstating Pell Grants for incarcerated adults and creating the College Scorecard.聽
Before his role at ACE, Mitchell held various leadership positions in higher education, serving as president of Occidental College, vice chancellor and dean at the UCLA, and professor at Dartmouth College. Additionally, Mitchell has made significant contributions to K鈥12 education as the CEO of the NewSchools Venture Fund and president of the California State Board of Education. Throughout his career, Mitchell has advocated for an educational system that prioritizes excellence, equity, and social justice. He holds bachelor's, master's, and PhD degrees from Stanford University, where he was a member of Phi Beta Kappa, and currently sits on the boards of several prominent educational organizations.
黑料传送门 is thrilled to recognize Ted鈥檚 tireless efforts to advance 黑料传送门鈥檚 mission of creating pathways to opportunity for students. We present Ted Mitchell with an honorary degree and add his name to the list of passionate individuals reinvigorating higher education and renewing its promise to all students.
Previous Honorary Degree Recipients
2023
Tammy Johns | Former 黑料传送门 Trustee | 04/21/23
2022
Terry Crane | Former 黑料传送门 Trustee | 08/06/22聽
Patrick Partridge | Chief Marketing Officer, Trailblazer | 08/06/22
2017
Robert Mendenhall | 黑料传送门 President (1999-2016) | 07/17/17
2016听
Dell Loy Hansen | Wasatch Group | 07/16/16
2012
Douglas 鈥淐hip鈥 Johnstone | Provost, Trailblazer | 07/12/12
Max Farbman | Fund-raising | 07/14/12聽
Janet Schnitz | Acting provost, Trailblazer | 07/14/12
Bill Simmons | Dutko; funding; lobbyist | 07/14/12
2011
Jamie Merisotis | Lumina Foundation | 07/23/11聽
Scott Anderson | Zions Bank, advisory board | 02/12/11
2009
Sam Smith | WSU, founder, board member | 07/11/09
Scott McNealy | Sun Microsystems | 01/24/09聽
2008
Clara M. Lovett | President, NAU | 02/16/08
Thomas C. Pelto | AT&T | 02/16/08
2007听
Michael B. Enzi | Senator, Wyoming | 07/14/07
Bess Stevens | HP Foundation | 02/10/07
2006
Roy Romer | Gov, CO; 黑料传送门 founder | 01/28/06聽
2005
Rod Paige | Sec, ED | 08/06/05
2003
Michael Leavitt | Gov, Utah; Sec. HHS; 黑料传送门 founder | 09/27/03聽
2002
Eric Benhamou | 3Com; Palm | 12/06/02
Jim Geringer | Gov, WY; founder | 12/06/02
Eric E. Schmidt | CEO, Google | 12/06/02
James R. Swartz | Accel Partners; Funding | 10/19/02
Robert F. Bennett | US Senator, Utah | 10/19/02聽