Honorary Degrees
At UNCW, an honorary degree is the highest accolade the university can bestow on an individual who is not currently employed as a member of its faculty or staff.
Responsible Office
Related Links
- Honorary Degree Nomination Form (If you need this in Word file format, please contact the Faculty Senate President.)
- Nomination Tracking Form
Purpose of Honorary Degrees
Honorary degrees are granted by the faculty and Board of Trustees of the University of North Carolina Wilmington and may be conferred at commencements or special events. Honorary degrees may include Doctors of Humanities, of Letters, of Fine Arts, of Science, of Laws, or other as recommended by the Academic Standards Committee.
An honorary degree is the highest accolade the university can bestow on an individual who is not currently employed as a member of its faculty or staff. It is given to honor individuals who (1) possess outstanding qualities and talents; (2) have made exceptional contributions to their fields and to the university and/or region; and (3) exemplify the highest standards of personal integrity and civic responsibility. The individual may not be an employee of the university at the time the degree is awarded.
Qualifications
All nominees for honorary degrees must have demonstrated excellence in personal integrity, civic responsibility, and exceptional contributions (e.g., time, energy, and/or financial resources) spent on behalf of or for the sake of the university and/or region.
Nominees for honorary degrees must also demonstrate one of the following:
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Academic excellence in the individual’s field of endeavor.
OR
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Excellence in fields other than those which would normally be called academic, (e.g., the contributions which have enhanced society and its quality of life).
Nomination Procedure
Any academic unit or member of the UNCW academic community may nominate an individual for an honorary degree if the nominee satisfies the criteria above.
The nomination process must be kept confidential at all steps, and the nominee must not be informed of the nomination. The nominator completes the Honorary Degree Nomination Form and submits it to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee through the Faculty Senate President.
Nomination Materials
- Purpose and Qualifications for Honorary Degrees
- Honorary Degree Nomination Form (If you need this in Word file format, please contact the Faculty Senate President.)
- Nomination Tracking Form
- Previously Awarded Honorary Degrees
Detailed Procedure for Nominating and Awarding
Confidentiality: The nomination process must be kept confidential during all steps, and the nominee must not be informed of the nomination.
- The nominator completes the Honorary Degree Nomination Form and submits it to the Chair of the Academic Standards Committee through the Faculty Senate President.
- The voting members of the Academic Standards Committee consider the nomination in confidential executive session and pass their recommendation to the Faculty Senate Steering Committee.
- The Faculty Senate Steering Committee places approved nominations before the voting members of the Faculty Senate. The Faculty Senate considers the nomination in confidential executive session.
- The Faculty Senate President passes approved nominations to the Provost.
- The Provost forwards the nomination to the Chancellor for recommendation to the Board of Trustees.
- If approved by the Board of Trustees, the nominee is informed that they have been selected to receive an Honorary Degree.
- The University confers the Honorary Degree at a commencement ceremony or other special event.
Nomination Form Requirements
The Honorary Degree Nomination Form requests information sufficient to evaluate the nominee while preserving confidentiality. The form includes nominee information, current employment or organizational affiliations, education and experience, organizational and leadership roles, the nominee’s relationship to UNCW and/or the region, publications or artistic achievements, the honorary degree proposed, and nominator information.
Each nomination must include an approximately 500–600 word narrative detailing the reasons for the nomination and providing specific examples or evidence of the nominee’s achievements and contributions that exemplify their qualifications for this accolade.
Honorary Degree Award Recipients
| Year Awarded | Ceremony | Name | Additional Information | Honorary Degree Conferred (honoris causa) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Commencement (May 10) | Linda Sayed '78, '85M | Philanthropist, UNCW Foundation Board member, 2024 UNCW Distinguished Alumna of the Year, 2023 UNCW Commencement Address Speaker | Doctor of Laws |
| 2019 | Commencement (Dec. 14) | David S. Congdon '78 | Benefactor, 2008 Cameron School of Business Alumnus of the Year, Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. executive | Doctor of Business |
| 2018 | Commencement (May 5) | Hannah Dawson Gage | Broadcasting executive and higher education advocate | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2010 | Commencement (May 8) | Major General, USAF (Ret.) Joseph A. McNeil | Doctor of Humanities | |
| 2008 | Commencement (May 10) | Irwin "Ike" Belk | Philanthropist, retired CEO of Belk stores | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2008 | Commencement (May 10) | Bernard Osher | Philanthropist, founder of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2008 | Commencement (May 10) | Barbro Osher | Philanthropist, chair of Osher Foundation | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2004 | Commencement (Dec. 11) | Hugh Morton | Internationally recognized photographer, environmentalist, tourism advocate, and owner of Grandfather Mountain | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2004 | Commencement (Dec. 11) | Julia Morton | Former UNCW trustee (3 yrs.) and member of the UNC Board of Governors (16 yrs.) | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2004 | Commencement (May 8) | Douglas Carmichael McIntyre II | U.S. Representative | Doctor of Laws |
| 2002 | Commencement (May 18) | Percy Heath | Musician | Doctor of Fine Arts |
| 2001 | Commencement (May 19) | Thomas V. Morris | Chairman, Morris Institute for Human Values | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2000 | Convocation (Aug. 15) | Bertha B. Todd | Educator | Doctor of Humanities |
| 2000 | Commencement (May 13) | Istvan Hargittai | Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at UNCW; Professor, Budapest Technical University | Doctor of Science |
| 2000 | Commencement (May 13) | Magdolna Hargittai | Visiting Scientist at UNCW 96/97, S98, F99; Research Professor Eotvos University, Budapest | Doctor of Science |
| 2000 | Commencement (May 13) | John Shelton Reed | William Rand Kenan, Jr. Professor of Sociology, UNCCH | Doctor of Humanities |
| 1999 | Commencement (Dec. 18) | Johnnetta B. Cole | Former president of Spelman College and presidential distinguished professor of anthropology, women's studies and African-American studies at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. | Doctor of Humanities |
| 1999 | Commencement (May 15) | Frank Warner Capra, Jr. | Motion Picture Executive | Doctor of Fine Arts |
| 1999 | Commencement (May 15) | Stanley Landau Colbert | Literary Agent, TV Producer | Doctor of Fine Arts |
| 1997 | Commencement (Dec. 6) | Betty Ray McCain | Secretary, NC Department of Cultural Resources | Doctor of Letters |
| 1997 | Commencement (May 17) | Bruce B. Cameron, Jr. | Benefactor | Doctor of Laws |
| 1997 | Commencement (May 17) | Daniel D. Cameron | Benefactor | Doctor of Laws |
| 1996 | Commencement (Dec. 7) | Leroy T. Walker | Chancellor Emeritus, NC Central University | Doctor of Laws |
| 1996 | Commencement (Dec. 7) | Ralph Werner Brauer | Former faculty member | Doctor of Science |
| 1996 | Commencement (Dec. 7) | Will Scott Deloach (in absentia) | Retired, Chairman of UNCW Chemistry Department | Doctor of Science |
| 1996 | Commencement (May 11) | Charlie Edwards Daniels | Musician/Recording Artist | Doctor of Letters |
| 1996 | Separate Ceremony (Feb. 27) | Frank Kenan | Benefactor | Doctor of Laws |
| 1995 | Commencement (Dec. 9) | Dale Chihuly | Glass Artist | Doctor of Letters |
| 1995 | Commencement (May 13) | Jerry Shinn | Founder, Museum of World Cultures | Doctor of Letters |
| 1994 | Commencement (Dec. 10) | Lee Marshall Smith | Author | Doctor of Letters |
| 1994 | Commencement (May 14) | Alice M. Rivlin | Deputy Director, OMB | Doctor of Laws |
| 1993 | Schweitzer Lecture (Oct. 4) | Oscar Arias Sanchez | Former President of Costa Rica | Doctor of Laws |
| 1993 | Commencement (May 15) | John Hope Franklin | Professor Emeritus of History, Duke University | Doctor of Letters |
| 1992 | Commencement (Dec. 5) | L. Richardson Preyer | Former US Congressman; Douglas Dillon Professor of Gov’t, Harvard | Doctor of Laws |
| 1992 | Convocation (Sep. 9) | Ida Howell Friday | Doctor of Letters | |
| 1992 | Convocation (Sep. 9) | William Clyde Friday | President, UNC System | Doctor of Laws |
| 1992 | Commencement (May 16) | Graham T. Allison, Jr. | NC native | Doctor of Letters |
| 1991 | Commencement (Dec. 7) | James E. Holshouser, Jr. | Governor of NC | Doctor of Laws |
| 1991 | Commencement (May 11) | Admiral William J. Crowe, Jr. | Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff | Doctor of Laws |
| 1990 | Commencement (May 12) | Thomas Grey Wicker | Journalist, NC native | Doctor of Letters |
| 1987 | Commencement (May 16) | Althea Gibson | US Tennis Champion | Doctor of Letters |
| 1985 | Commencement (May 18) | Hubert A. Eaton | Chairman, UNCW BOT | Doctor of Laws |
| 1985 | Commencement (May 18) | J. Paul Reynolds | Retired UNCW administrator | Doctor of Science |
| 1983 | Commencement (May 14) | Claude Flynn Howell | Founder, UNCW Art Department | Doctor of Letters |
| 1982 | Commencement (May 15) | Dallas Herring | Founder, Community College system in NC | Doctor of Laws |
| 1981 | Commencement (May 16) | Albert Coates | Founder, NC Institute of Government | Doctor of Laws |
| 1980 | Commencement (May 17) | Joseph Needham | British Sinologist | Doctor of Letters |
| 1977 | Commencement (May 15) | Susie Marshall Sharp | Chief Justice of NC Supreme Court | Doctor of Laws |
| 1974 | Commencement (May 19) | David Brinkley | News commentator and journalist; Wilmington native | Doctor of Letters |
| 1972 | Separate Ceremony (Sep. 7) | James Graham Kenan II | Benefactor | Doctor of Laws |
| 1971 | Commencement (May 31) | William M. Randall | President Emeritus, Wilmington College | Doctor of Letters |
| 1971 | Commencement (May 31) | Addison Hewlett, Jr. | Former Speaker NC House of Representatives; Member of Board of Trustees | Doctor of Laws |
| 1971 | Commencement (May 31) | Robert Scott | Governor of North Carolina | Doctor of Laws |