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A History of LMU Honorees and Commencement Speakers

Loyola Marymount University confers honoris causa degrees in recognition of distinctions or accomplishments that reflect some aspect of the university's mission. Here are those public servants, academic leaders and persons religious who have received honorary degrees or were honored commencement speakers who we have embraced into the LMU family.

    • Abby Wambach, FIFA Women's World Cup Champion
    • Francisco C. Rodriguez, Chancellor, Los Angeles Community College District
    • Viola Davis, Actor
    • Elena Bove, Senior Vice President, LMU Student Affairs
    • Martin Sheen, Actor and Activist
    • Ginni Rometty, Former Chairman and CEO of IBM
    • Deval L. Patrick, Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusettes
    • Marlene Canter, Educator
    • Ginni Dreier, Humanitarian
    • R.Chad Dreier, Chairperson of the LMU Board of Trustees
    • Gregory J. Boyle, S.J., Humanitarian, founder of Homeboy Industries
    • Dorothy Babbitt Shea, Honored by School of Education
    • John Francis Shea, Honored by School of Education
    • Jim Kilroy, Honored by Fr. Koppes
    • Lyn Lusi, Heal Africa founder
    • John Page, Ph.D., Professor of Electrical Engineering (50 years of teaching)
    • Rosenia M. St. Onge, University Registrar (50 years as a staff member)
    • Ken Burns, Documentary Film Maker
    • John Deasy, Superintendent LAUSD
    • Doris Kearns Goodwin, Historian and Author
    • Thomas John Mueller, Rocket Scientist/Alum
    • Wendy S. Kopp, Founder of Teach for America
    • George A.V. Dunning, Benefactor to CFA
    • Captain James Lovell, Astronaut, American Hero
    • Wole Soyinka, Nobel Laureate
    • David W. Burcham, 15th President of LMU
    • Roberto Gaston Orci, Writer Producer
    • Tommy Lasorda, Coach, LA Dodgers
    • Benigno Simeon Aquino III, President of the Republic of the Philippines
    • Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations
    • Kathleen Hannon Aikenhead, Outgoing Chair of the Board of Trustees
    • William Clinton, 42nd President of the United States
    • Steve Mosko, Producer
    • Anna Deavere Smith, Actress
    • Michelle King, LAUSD Superintendent
    • Most Reverend Jose H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles
    • Gail Abarbanel, Social Service Advocate
    • Ronan Farrow, Journalist
    • Shane P. Martin, Dean of the School of Education
    • Robert B. Lawton, S.J., 14th President of LMU
    • Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Athlete, Bestselling Author, Activist
    • Maria Salinas '87, President and CEO of the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce
    • Henry Winkler, Actor/Director
    • Henry C. Yuen, CEO, Gemstar International
    • Dr. Lawrence D. Bobo, Sociology/ Afro-American Studies Professor, Harvard
    • Marilyn Jachetti Whirry, 2000 National Teacher of the Year
    • Julia Mary Farley, C.S.J., Founder of Good Shepherd Center for Homeless
    • Dr. James H. Herndon, Orthopaedic Surgeon
    • Mel Gibson, Actor/Director
    • William Friedkin, Director
    • Goldie Hawn, Actress/Producer
    • Dr. Joseph Jabbra, Academic Vice President
    • Gregory J. Boyle, S.J., Humanitarian, founder of Homeboy Industries
    • Kevin Starr, Ph.D., Historian
    • Mother Dolores Hart, O.S.B., Former Actress/ Neuropathy spokesperson
    • Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles
    • Roy Romer, Former Governor of CO; superintendent of LAUSD
    • Erin Brockovich, Activist
    • Lee Shulman, President, Carnegie Foundation
    • Sr. Peg Dolan, R.S.H.M., Alumni Chaplain
    • Albert P. Koppes, O. Carm., Associate Chancellor, Dean Emeritus, School of Education
    • His Eminence Archbishop Demetrios, Primate of the Greek Orthodox Church
    • Vicente Fox Quesada, President of Mexico 2000-2006
    • Ramon C. Cortines, Superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District
    • Dorothy Kirsten French, Actress
    • Monsignor Royale M. Vadakin, Priest
    • Rabbi Alfred Wolf, Rabbi
    • Paul W. Westhead, LMU Basketball Coach
    • Rev. John Anthony Baumann, S.J., Founding Director And Director of Special Projects, The Pacific Institute for Community Organization
    • Valentin Petrovich Fyodorov, Prime Minister, Sakha Region of the Russian Federation
    • Robert F. Erburu, Director & Retired Chairman, The Times Mirror Co./Former Director, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce/ former Director, the Ahmanson Foundation/ Former Director, the Getty Trust
    • Agnes Marie Schön, C.S.J., Sister, St. Jospeh of Orange
    • George William Hunt, S.J.
    • Paul F. Salamunovich, Choral director of liturgical music
    • Most Rev. Carl A. Fisher, S.S.J., Auxiliary Bishop, Los Angeles Archdiocese
    • Bob Newhart, Actor
    • J. Thomas McCarthy, Prof. of Law USF
    • Kathleen L. McCarthy, Chair of the Leavey Foundation
    • The Hon. Rudy de Leon, Under Secretary of Defense
    • The Most Rev. Samuel Garcia Ruiz, D.D., Bishop in Mexico noted for service to the poor
    • The Honorable Richard Riordan, Mayor of Los Angeles
    • France Anne Córdova, Astrophysicist
    • Rev. Thomas Berry, Ecotheologian and cultural historian
    • The Honorable Benjamin J. Cayetano, Fifth Governor of Hawaii
    • C. Michael Armstrong, Chairman & CEO, AT &T
    • Raymond E. Brown, S.S., Biblical Scholar
    • Edward J. McFadden, S.J., Educator and Administrator
    • Thomas Patrick O'Malley, S.J., President, Loyola Marymount University
    • Bob Wright, President & CEO, NBC
    • Christopher C. Wrather, Ph.D., University Trustee
    • Rabbi Edward F. Magnin, Rabbi, B'nai B'rith Congregation
    • Rev. Herbert J. Ryan, S.J., Professor of Religious Studies
    • Earle M. Jorgensen, Founder, Earle M. Jorgensen Co.
    • Sr. Marie Madeleine, Shonka, S.C.L., Director, Saint John's Health Center
    • Rev. Charles S. Casassa, S.J., President, Loyola University of Los Angeles
    • Bernard J. Bannan, Director, The MacNeal-Schwendler Corporation
    • Thomas P. Pike, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Supply and Logistics for the Eisenhower Administration/Special Assistant to the President/Consultant to the Secretary of Defense
    • Wilfred Von der Ahe, Co-Founder of Vons Grocery Co.
    • Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, C.S.C., President Emeritus, University of Notre Dame/ Priest, Congregation of the Holy Cross
    • Steve Briody, Musician, Composer
    • Magdalen Coughlin, C.S.J., President/Chancellor Mount Saint Mary's College
    • William H. Hannon, Catholic Philanthropist/Real Estate Developer
    • The Hon. Peter H. Dailey, American Ambassador
    • Francis Albert Sinatra, Entertainer
    • Donald P. Merrifield, S.J., Journalist/ Trustee Emeritus, USF
    • Sister Maria de la Cruz Aymes, Author/ President, International Catechetical Council
    • Mr. Martin Gang, Attorney/Partner in Gang, Tyre, Ramer, and Brown Law Firm, Leading Member of the American Jewish Committee
    • Ms. Jilleen M. Halverson,
    • Mr. Peter V. Ueberroth, Commisioner of Major League Baseball/ Chairman of the U.S. Olympic Committee
    • Richard Allen Archer, Author
    • George H. Dunn, S.J., Author
    • Robert Neelly Bellah, Sociologist, Author
    • Archbishop Roger M. Mahony, D.D., Member of the Board of Trustees of The Catholic University of America, Committee Member of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
    • Peter F. Drucker, Writer,Management Consultant
    • Carmen Zapata, Actress, Co-Founder/President of the Bilingual Foundation of the Arts
    • The Hon. Tony Coelho, Congressman
    • Peter Francis Newell, American College Men's Basketball Coach
    • Hal Roach, American Film and Television Producer
    • Loret Miller Ruppe, Director, Peace Corps
    • Monika Konrad Hellwig, Sister, President/Executive Director of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, President of the Catholic Theological Society of America
    • Edward James Hogan,
    • Jane Gallagher Pisano, President, L.A. 2000 Olympic Committee
    • Robert F. Erburu, Director & Retired Chairman, The Times Mirror Co./Former Director, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce/ former Director, the Ahmanson Foundation/ Former Director, the Getty Trust
    • Henry Michael Ramirez, A.B., M.A.
    • Gerhar Burian Ladner, Ph.D., Author
    • Roger J. Traynor, A.B., J.D., Ph.D., Chief Justice, Suprmeme Court of California
    • Roger J. Traynor, Chief Justice, Suprmeme Court of California
    • Frederick Binder, Ph.D., Author
    • Frank Sullivan, Author and Professor of English at LMU
    • Dorothy Leavey, Philanthropist/ Founder, the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation
    • Thomas E. Leavey, Philanthropist/ Founder, the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation
    • Sr. M. Raymunde McKay, R.S.H.M., President Marymount College
    • Cardinal Timothy Manning, D.D., J.C.D., Archbishop of Los Angeles, Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church
    • Hon. William Matthew Byrne, III, Federal Judge, United States District Court for the Central District of California
    • Rodney Coulson
    • Ernest E. Sanchez, President, Arroyo Seco Neighborhood Council
    • Leonardo C. Pacheco
    • Dorothy Chandler, Philanthropist/Director Emeritus, Times Mirror Company
    • Tom Bradley, Mayor of Los Angeles
    • Hon. David A. Roberti, State Senator
    • George Kozmetsky, Dean of UT College and Graduate School of Business/ Founder, IC² Instiute
    • Rabbi Alfred Gottschalk, Author/Biochemist
    • Danny Thomas, Entertainer
    • Rev. Herbert A. DeSouza, S.J., Sociologist/ Founder, Brazilian Institute of Social Analysis and Economics (IBASE)/ Chief of Staff, Ministry of Education
    • The Hon. Diane E. Watson, Senator, 30th District
    • Most Rev. Egidio Vagnozzi, Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, President of the Economic Affairs of the Holy See
    • Mr. Edward T. Foley, LL.B., Chief Financial Officer, Executive Vice President, Ceatech USA
    • J. E. Sterling, Ph.D.
    • Gen. Bernard A. Schriever, USAF, General of Air Force Systems Command
    • Valley M. Knudsen, Politician
    • Fritz B. Burns, Philanthropist, Real Estate Developer for Los Angeles
    • Lee A. DuBridge, American Educator, Physicist
    • George Piness
    • Hon. Louis H. Burke, Judge
    • Frank Sullivan, Ph.D., Author and Professor of English at LMU
    • Ernest J. Loebbecke, Business Executive and Chairman of United Ways, Los Angeles
    • Alfred M. Gruenther, Supreme Allied Commander
    • Most Rev. Bishop John J. Ward, D.D., Auxillary Bishop of the Archidioceses of Los Angeles
    • J. Fenton McKenna, Professor of Philosophy
    • H. C. McClellan
    • Najeeb E. Halaby, L.L.B., LL.D., Businessman, Government Official, Father of Queen Noor of Jordan
    • Norman Topping, M.D., Sc.D., LL.D., President of USC, Vice President of Medical Affairs at Upenn, Assistant Surgeon General
    • Najeeb E. Halaby
    • Franklin D. Murphy, A.B., M.D., American Adminstrator, Educator, Medical Doctor
    • Arnold O. Beckman, B.S., M.S., Ph.D., American Chemist, Founded Beckman Instruments
    • Franklin D. Murphy, American Adminstrator, Educator, Medical Doctor
    • Most Rev. Timothy Manning, Coadjutor Archbishop of Los Angeles
    • The Hon. Preston Devine, A.B., LL.B., M.A., , Judge of the Superior Court of San Francisco
    • Gen. Joseph T. McNerney, USAF
    • Henry Rooney, Ph.D.
    • J. Stuart Neary, Ph.B., LL.B.
    • Most Rev. Charles F. Buddy, S.T.B., Ph.D., First Catholic Bishop of San Diego, First President of USD
    • Harry J. Volk, A.B., LL.B., Vice President, Prudential Insurance Company of America/Chairman, Union Bank of California
    • Dwight Clark
    • Harold McKinnon, Author
    • Charles Skouras, American Movie Executive/President, Fox Coast West
    • Harold R. McKennon, Author
    • Joseph Scott, American Olympic Bobsledder
    • Donald J. Russell, President/Chairman, Southern Pacific Railroad
    • Lawrence G. McNeil
    • Reese H. Taylor, Partner, Laxalt, Berry and Allison Law Firm/ Chairman, Interstate Commerce Commission
    • Benjamin G. Raskob
    • Charles A. Von der Ahe, Entrepreneur, Founder of Vons Grocery Stores
    • Arthur J. Will, Chief Administrative Officer, Os Angeles County Board of Supervisors
    • Mrs. Irene Dunne Griffin, Actress
    • Mr. Thomas E. Murray
    • Mr. Stephen D. Bechtel, Persident and Founder, The Bechtel Corporation
    • Irene Dunne Griffin, Actress
    • Mr. Leslie Peppiatt, Lawyer
    • Mr. Arthur Kelly, Architect
    • Sir Harry Hylton-Foster, Member of the House of Parliament, Speaker of the House of Commons
    • Mr. William P. Rogers, US Secretary of State, US Attorney General, US Deputy Attorney General
    • Mr. Charles S. Phyne
    • Rev. Henry J. McAnulty, C.S.Sp., President of Duquesne University
    • Mr. Frank R. Seaver, Philanthropist
    • Joseph I. Breen, Actor, Director, Writer
    • Judge William P. James, US Federal Judge for the Southern District of California
    • Angus D. McDonald
    • Hon. Edward T. Foley, A.B., LL.D., Business Executive
    • Victor H. Rossetti, Co-President of the Farmers and Merchants Bank of Los Angeles
    • Walter H. Holleran, B.S., M.D., Assistant Pastor of Saint Martins of Tours Church, Priest from the Exorcism
    • Giannini, A.B., M.D.
    • Hon. John M. Costello, A.M., LL.B., US Democratic Representative, California
    • Most Rev. Joseph T. McGucken, S.T.D., LL.B.
    • Hon. J. F. T. O'Connor, M.A., LL.B., LL.D.
    • Madame Chiang Kai-shek, A.B., First Lady of China
    • Admiral Daniel Judson Callaghan, U.S.N., United States Navy Medal of Honor Recipient
    • Harvey S. Mudd, Chairman of the Board of College for Claremont College
    • Hon. Harry W. Flannery, Ph.B., Radio Journalist
    • John V. Farrow, Screenwriter, Director
    • Chen Ping-Chuan
    • His Eminence Thomas Cardinal Tien, S.U.D., Author
    • Very Rev. Msgr. Patrick J. Dignan, Author
    • Very Rev. Msgr. John J. McClafferty
    • William M. Jeffers, K.M., President, Union Pacific
    • Rev. Thomas J. McCarthy, A.B., S.T.B., Ph.D., Monsignor, St, Paul Cathic Church Salem, Ohio
    • P. G. Winnett, Chaiman and Co-Founder of Bullock's Department Stores
    • William S. Rosecrans, B.A., M.A., U.S. Representative from California, 1st District/Union Army General, Civil War
    • Most Rev. J. Francis A. McIntyre, D.D., Archbishop of Los Angeles
    • James F. Twohy, K.M., A.B., Governor, Federal Home Loan Bank Administration
    • Willard W. Keith, Officer, United States Marine Corps/Navy Cross Recipient
    • Richard K. Biggs, M.S., Author
    • Hon. Benno M. Brink, Author
    • Hon. William T. Aggeler, J.D., Chief Deputy Public Defender, Los Angeles
    • Hon. Charles W. Fricke, A.M., J.D., Superior Court Judge, Los Angeles
    • Paul Eugene Bowers, M.S., M.D., Formerly AA Surgeon US Public Health Service
    • George M. Breslin, LL.B., Director of the National Catholic Office for Motion Pictures
    • Hon. Guy R. Crump, J.D., Federal District Court, Los Angeles
    • Harry H. Culver, President of the National Association of Realtors, Los Angeles
    • Louis J. Euler, A.M., J.D.
    • Aloysius I. McCormick, J.D.
    • Hon. Isidore B. Dockweiler, K.S.G., A.M., LL.D., Lawyer, Los Angeles, Knight of Saint Gregory
    • Frank H. Spearman, LL.D., American Author, Bank President McCook NA
    • Edward T. Bishop, B.S., J.D.
    • Henry G. Bodkin, B.S., J.D., Attorney, Los Angeles
    • Dan Murphy
    • E. W. Mattoon, A.B., J.D.
    • C. S. Tappaan, LL.B.
    • Hon. Walter J. Desmond, LL.B., Lawyer, Postmaster, and Public Works Commissioner in Long Beach California
    • Rev. J. E. Devos
    • L. N. Brunswig
    • F. E. Subith, LL.B.
    • Count F. Thorne-Rider, Hereditary Noble of the Kingdom of Italy, Lawyer, Journalist and benefactor of religious organizations
    • Mrs. Frank P. Montgomery, Silent Film Star; aka Mona Darkfeather
    • John James Hill, A.B., LL.B.
    • John Steven McGroarty, Journialist, Democrat to 74 and 75 Congresses, Los Angeles
    • Hon. William H. Langdon, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of California
    • Hon. Pat Parker, Judge of Superior Court of California
    • William H. Langdon, Associate Justice, Supreme Court of California
    • Hon. Joseph Scott, K.C.S.G., A.M., Ph.D., LL.D., Dean Emeritus, School of Law
    • Paul J. McCormick, President and Chief Executive Officer of Endologix
    • Joseph I. Breen, Actor, Director, Writer
    • Most Rev. J. J. Cantwell, D. C., First Archbishop of Roman Archdioceses of Los Angeles
    • Robert A. Milikan, Ph.D., LL.D., Sc.D., Nobel Prize Winner, Physics
    • Martin Quigley, American Publisher
    • Most Rev. Charles F. Buddy, D.D., Ph.D., Bishop of San Diego
    • Hon. Thomas P. White, LL.B., LL.D., California Judge and graduate of St. Vincent's High 1904
    • Charles S. Burnell, Assistant City Attorney, Los Angeles
    • W. Joseph Ford, A.M.
    • Frank P. Jenal, M.S., M.A., LL.B., Lawyer, Los Angeles
    • William T. Aggeler, LL.B., Chief Deputy Public Defender, Los Angeles
    • Fred N. Arnold, A.M., Lawyer, Los Angeles
    • Henry G. Bodkin, B.S., Business Litigation Lawyer, Los Angeles
    • Louis J. Euler, A.M.
    • Charles W. Fricke, LL.M., Superior Court Judge, Los Angeles
    • A. I. McCormick, US Attorney of the District of Southern California
    • Harold L. Watt, A.B.
    • Rt. Rev. John Cawley, V.G., Bishop of Los Angeles and San Diego
    • Hon. Edward L. Doheny, Businessman, Philanthropist, Los Angeles
    • Hon. Thomas P. White, LL.B., California Judge and graduate of St. Vincent's High 1904
    • Rev. William E. Corr, A.M.
    • Rev. Peter J. Quinn, A.B., Chief Information Officer of the Commonwealth, Massachuesetts
    • Hon. Edward T. Bishop, LL.B.
    • Hon. J. Wiseman MacDonald, K.S.G., Attorney for the Catholic Church in Los Angeles
    • Rev. Brother Philip, F.S.C.
    • T. Franklin Power
    • John J. Schumacher, Founder of Southwestern University of Law
    • Hon. Guy R. Crump, LL.B., Federal District Court, Los Angeles
    • Rev. Peter Paul Forrestal, C.S.C.
    • Hon. Leon R. Yanwich, J.D., US District Court Judge, Los Angeles