Committee Members 
  • Dr. Jill Drake - Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs  (Chair)
  • Dr. Pauline Gagnon - College of Arts, Culture, and Scientific Inquiry
  • Dr. Laura Smith - College of Education
  • Dr. Chris Johnson - College of Business
  • Dr. Jenny Schuessler - School of Nursing
  • Dr. Andrea Stanfield - Ingram Library
  • Dr. Toby Ziglar - Graduate School
  • Dr. Janet Donohoe - Honors College
  • Dr. Anca Koczkas (2018-2020) - International Languages & Cultures
  • Dr. Gregory Payne (2018-2020) - Biology and College of Science and Mathematics
  • Dr. Trung Ly (2019-2021) - Economics
  • Dr. Cindy Saxon (2019-2021) - College of Education
  • Nichole Fannin, Ketty Cusick (proxy)  - University Advancement
Policy on Honorary Degrees
Guidelines for Honorary Degrees
Honorary Doctorate Recipients
  • May 10, 2018 Mrs. Nellie Dunaway Duke, President and CEO of the Georgia Women's Institute
  • May 10, 2018 Mrs. Laura Richards, Founder and Chair of the Friends of Carrollton GreenBelt LLC
  • May 11, 2017 Mr. Steve R. Adams, West Georgia Ambulance
  • April 30, 2016 Ms. Melissa "Missy" P. Dugan, Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Atlanta
  • April 26, 2014 Mr. Steve Penley, nationally recognized artist
  • April 28, 2012 Mr. Bob Stone, founder of Systems and Methods
  • May 9, 2009 Dr. J. Willis Hurst, nationally recognized cardiologist, teacher, research, clinician, and writer – Emory School of Medicine
  • May 10, 2006 Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach, Director of the National Cancer institute and Acting Commissioner of Food & Drugs, Food & Drug Administration
  • May 11, 2005 Mr. Richard H. Glanton, Sr. VP of Corporate Dev. for Exelon Corp. & 1968 alum
  • July 31, 2004 Mr. Dan Cathy, President and Chief Operating Officer of Chick-fil-A
  • August 3, 2002 Ms. Alice H. Richards, widow of the founder of Southwire, Roy Richards, Sr.
  • May 9, 2001 Dr. Richard Zare, Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University
  • August 5, 2000 Dr. Nikki Giovanni, Poet & Civil Rights Activist and Professor of English at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
  • May 8, 1999 Mr. Mallard Fuller, Habitat for Humanity International
  • Aug. 15, 1998 Howard Hollis “Bo” Callaway (Callaway Gardens)
  • June 15, 1997 Dr. Julian C. Stanley, Director, Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth, Johns Hopkins University
  • June 14, 1996 Mr. Roy Richards, Jr., Chairman & CEO of Southwire Company