May 21, 2023
At Swarthmore's 151st commencement on May 21, President Valerie Smith awarded honorary degrees to architect Marianne McKenna ’72, U.S. Department of Agriculture administrator Karama Neal ’93, and wildlife conservationists Amy Vedder '72 and Bill Weber '73.
May 22, 2022
At Swarthmore's 150th commencement on May 22, President Valerie Smith awarded honorary degrees to immigration law scholar T. Alexander Aleinikoff '74, documentary filmmaker Marshall Curry '92, Hawaii Lieutenant Governor Josh Green '92, and ballet dancer Virginia Johnson.
June 6, 2021
At Swarthmore's 149th commencement on June 6, President Valerie Smith awarded honorary degrees to philosopher Elizabeth Anderson ’81, U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine, and filmmaker Dawn Porter ’88.
May 24, 2020
At Swarthmore's 148th commencement on May 24, Swarthmore College broadcast a virtual Commencement ceremony and celebrated the Class of 2020
May 26, 2019
At Swarthmore's 147th commencement on Sunday, May 26, President Valerie Smith awarded honorary degrees to visual artist Njideka Akunyili Crosby ’04, biochemist Jon Lorsch ’90, and justice advocate Bryan Stevenson. In addition, 395 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Outdoor Amphitheater.
May 27, 2018
At Swarthmore's 146th commencement on May 27, President Valerie Smith awarded honorary degrees to social justice advocate Edgar Cahn '56, poet and writer Sonia Sanchez, and biomedical engineer Francisco Valero-Cuevas '88 (above). In addition, 418 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Amphitheater.
May 21, 2017
At Swarthmore's 145th commencement on May 21, President Valerie Smith awarded honorary degrees to film producer and journalist David Gelber ’63, philanthropist John Goldman '71, and actress and playwright Anna Deavere Smith. In addition, 374 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Amphitheater.
May 29, 2016
At Swarthmore's 144th commencement on May 29, President Valerie Smith awarded honorary degrees to film critic and cultural historian Leo Braudy '63, ecosystem ecologist F. Stuart "Terry" Chapin III '66, and world-renowned scholar and advocate for deaf communities Carol Padden. In addition, 359 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Amphitheater.
May 31, 2015
At Swarthmore's 143rd commencement on May 31, Interim President Constance Hungerford awarded honorary degrees to conductor and teacher John Alston, Justice Randy J. Holland ’69, and scientist and educator Molly Miller Jahn ’80. In addition, 391 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Amphitheater.
June 1, 2014
At Swarthmore's 142nd commencement on June 1, President Rebecca Chopp awarded honorary degrees to renowned scholar and writer Thomas Laqueur '67, noted documentary photographer and author Barbara Norfleet '47, gifted vocalist and composer Vaneese Thomas '74, and Congressman Christopher Van Hollen '83. In addition, 367 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Amphitheater.
June 2, 2013
At Swarthmore's 141st commencement on June 2, President Rebecca Chopp awarded honorary degrees to entrepreneur and humanitarian Tralance Addy '69 and novelist and social activist Lorene Cary. In addition, 374 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Amphitheater.
May 27, 2012
At Swarthmore's 140th commencement on May 27, President Rebecca Chopp awarded honorary degrees to pioneering social scientist Lotte Bailyn '51, highly respected jurist Frank Easterbrook '70, and award-winning documentary film producer and activist Judy Richardson '66. In addition, 369 undergraduates were awarded degrees at the ceremony, held at the Scott Amphitheater.
May 29, 2011
At Swarthmore's 139th commencement, President Rebecca Chopp awarded honorary degrees to innovative publisher and philanthropist David Bradley '75, acclaimed criminologist David Kennedy '80, and noted entrepreneur and educator Iqbal Quadir '81.
May 30, 2010
The College awarded honorary degrees to distinguished biologist Bonnie Bassler, educator and labor leader John Braxton '70, Morehouse College President Robert Michael Franklin (above, with President Rebecca Chopp), and actor and author Stephen Lang '73 at the College's 138th commencement.
May 31, 2009
The College awarded honorary degrees to Mary Schmidt Campbell '69, dean of NYU's Tisch School of the Arts and professor and chair of art and public policy, and James C. Hormel '55, a philanthropist devoted to social justice and human rights and the first openly gay ambassador in U.S. history. President Alfred H. Bloom also received an honorary degree on the occasion of his departure from the College after 18 years as president.
June 01, 2008
The College awarded honorary degrees to Alberto Mora '74, former general counsel of the Department of the Navy, Robert Storr '72, dean of the Yale School of Art, and Phyllis Wise '67, a renowned researcher and provost and executive vice-president at the University of Washington, at the College's 136th commencement.
June 03, 2007
The College awarded honorary degrees to Marcia A. Grant '60, educator and founding dean of the first liberal arts college for women in Saudi Arabia, civil rights leader and Algebra Project founder Robert Parris Moses, and J. Robert Prichard '71, president and CEO of Torstar Corporation, at the College's 135th commencement.
May 28, 2006
The College awarded honorary degrees to philosopher and Africana studies scholar Kwame Anthony Appiah, renowned scientist and inventor Neil Gershenfeld '81, and distinguished jurist Mary Murphy Schroeder '62 at the College's 134th commencement.
May 29, 2005
The College awarded degrees to 380 undergraduates and honorary degrees to critically acclaimed author Jonathan Franzen '81; noted poet and educator Daniel Hoffman, a former member of Swarthmore's English faculty; and Anne Schuchat '80, a physician at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
May 30, 2004
The College awarded degrees to 359 undergraduates and honorary degrees to Patrick G. Awuah, Jr. '89, founder of Ashesi University College in Ghana; Marjorie Garber '66, a renowned Shakespeare scholar and cultural critic; and Joy ('51) and Herbert Kaiser '49, founders of the non-profit Medical Education for Southern African Blacks.
June 1, 2003
The College awarded degrees to 360 undergraduates and gave honorary degrees to astrobiologist and public policy expert Christopher Chyba '82, child psychiatrist Margaret Morgan Lawrence, and U.S. District Court Judge Jed S. Rakoff '64.
June 2, 2002
The College awarded degrees to 335 undergraduates and honorary degrees to former U.N. humanitarian coordinator Denis Halliday and journalist and prominent international relations scholar Josef Joffe '65 at the College's 130th commencement.
June 4, 2001
The College awarded degrees to 332 undergraduates and honorary degrees to noted bioethicist and civil rights advocate Adrienne Asch '69; longtime public servant, accomplished author, and decorated veteran Ken Hechler '35; and critically acclaimed author and physician Abraham Verghese.
May 29, 2000
The College awarded degrees to 377 undergraduates and honorary degrees to physicist and theologian Ian Barbour '44, acclaimed dancer and choreographer Bill T. Jones, and social activist and author Elizabeth Martínez '46.
Commencement Speakers and Honorary Degree Recipients (1888-1999)
