2024 Honorary Degree Recipients

Information on SWAGÊÓƵ's 2024 Honorary Degree Recipient(s) is coming soon.

Previous Honorary Degree Recipients

2023
  • Ronald A. Crutcher, D.M.A., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Elizabeth A. McLellan, M.S.N, M.P.H., D.M.S. ‘19, Doctor of Humane Letters
2022
  • Jonathan Haidt, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • David Evans Shaw, M.B.A., Doctor of Science
2021
  • Nirav D. Shah, M.D., J.D., director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
2019
  • Judy Glickman Lauder, Internationally Recognized Photographer, Humanitarian, and Philanthropist, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Janet T. Mills, J.D., Governor of Maine, Honorary Doctor of Laws
2018
  • Catherine A. Sanderson, Ph.D., Manwell Family Professor of Life Sciences (Psychology), Amherst College, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
2017
  • Freeman A. Hrabowski III, President of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
2016
  • Dr. Robert Michael Franklin, Jr., Professor, Emory University and Director of the Religion Department, Chautauqua Institution, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
2015
  • Anna Eleanor Roosevelt, President/CEO, Goodwill Industries of Northern New England, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Michael McCarthy, Principal, King Middle School, Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
2014
  • Gregory W. Powell, J.D., CEO/President of Dexter Enterprises, Inc, and Chairman of the Harold Alfond Foundation, Honorary Doctor of Laws
2013
  • Wesley McNair, Poet Laureate of Maine, Honorary Doctor of Letters
2012
  • Chellie Pingree, U.S. Representative, Honorary Doctor of Laws
  • Theodora J. Kalikow, Ph.D., Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters
2011
  • Michael Michaud, U.S. Representative, Honorary Doctor of Laws
2010
  • Harvey V. Fineberg, M.D., Ph.D, Honorary Doctor of Science
2009
  • Dr. Rita Colwell, Honorary Doctor of Science
2008
  • Former Governor John McKernan, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Victor McKusick, Honorary Doctor of Science
  • Vincent McKusick, Honorary Doctor of Laws
2007
  • Neil Rolde, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Bernard Osher, Doctor of Laws
2006
  • Paul Wescott, Doctor of Laws
  • A. Leroy Greason, Ph D, Doctor of Humane Letters
2005
  • Claire Van Ummersen, Doctor of Humane Letters
2004
  • Ambassador Aziz Mekouar, Doctor of Laws
2003
  • Ambassador Christopher R. Thomas, Honorary Doctor of Laws
2002
  • Daniel Wathen (speaker), Doctor of Laws
  • Bettsanne Holmes, Doctor of Laws
  • Wilma Redman, Doctor of Laws
2001
  • Congressman Tom Allen (speaker), U.S. Congressman, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Rev. Franklin Littell, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Owen Wells, Doctor of Laws
2000
  • Jack S. Ketchum, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • William Cotter, Doctor of Humane Letters
1999
  • Susan Collins (speaker), U.S. Senator from Maine, Doctor of Laws
  • Laurence Ianni, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Si Kahn, Ph.D., Doctor of Health Sciences
1998
  • Admiral Jack Hayes, Doctor of Laws
1997

University Campus:

  • Marvin Wachman, Ph.D. (speaker), Chancellor, Temple University, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Rev. James Ronan, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters

Westbrook College Campus:

  • Patrick Swygert (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Mary Grefe, Doctor of Laws
1996
  • Olympia Snowe (speaker), U.S. Senator from Maine, Doctor of Laws
  • Barbara Weisberger, Founder of Pennsylvania Ballet, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Judge Raymond Broderick, Federal Judge, Doctor of Laws
1995
  • Judith Isaacson (speaker), Holocaust Survivor, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Mary Sarton, Author/Poet, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Charlene Rydell, State Legislator, Doctor of Laws
  • Alexander Theroux, Author, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Sister Priscille Roy, Missonary, Doctor of Laws
1994
  • Rev. John Brooks (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Antonine Maillet, Ph.D., Doctor of Laws
1993
  • Thomas Andrews (speaker), Doctor of Laws
  • Louis Rabineau, Ed.D. , Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Robert Gardiner, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
1992
  • Dorothy Cotton (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • James Williams, Jr., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Rudolfo Anaya, Doctor of Humane Letters
1991
  • Marie Gadsden, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Nancy T. Watts, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Honorable Robert E. White, Doctor of Humane Letters
1990
  • George Mitchell (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Gene Leroy Schwilck, Doctor of Humane Letters
1989
  • Wilson Hurley, L.L.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Andrew McGuire (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • A. Poulin, Jr., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Gavin Ruotolo, Doctor of Humane Letters
1988
  • Dr. David Matthews (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Audrey Cohen, Doctor of Humane Letters
1987
  • Marian Wright Edelman Daniel B. Merriam, Master of Humane Letters
  • Matina Souretis Horner, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dodge Morgan (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Anthony Gelardi & Paul Gelardi Doctor of Economics
  • James L. Moody Jr., Doctor of Economics
1986
  • Wilma Pearl Mankiller (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
1985
  • Associate Justice Caroline D. Glassman, Doctor of Laws
  • Ms. Eunice Spooner, Master of Humane Letters
1984
  • Governor Joseph E. Brennan (speaker), Doctor of Economics
  • Francis T. Spencer, Doctor of Economics
  • Marguerite Kyte, Doctor of Humane Letters
1983
  • Henry W. Aplington, Jr., Ph.D., Doctor of Science
  • Arthur Elliott Levine (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Conrad Grondin, Doctor of Economics
1982
  • Geoffrey Peter Faux, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Bruce Hangen, Degree of Fine Arts
  • Dr. Kingsley Kay, Doctor of Science
  • James Russell Wiggins (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
1981
  • Honorable William S. Cohen (speaker), Doctor of Laws
  • Elsa Marie Meder, Ph.D., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Charles W. Sauter, II, D.O., Doctor of Humane Letters
1980
  • William J. Caldwell (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Honorable Elmont S. Tyndale, Doctor of Humane Letters
1979
  • F. Stephen Larrabee, Ph.D. (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
1978
  • Benjamin M. Ziegler, Ph.D. (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
1977
  • Mary D. Merrill, Distinguished Service Award, (No Honorary Degree Offered)
1976
  • Robert J. Lurtsema, B.S., Doctor of Humane Letters
1975
  • Dr. Scott Nearing (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
  • William F. Kearns Jr., Doctor of Public Service
1974
  • Robert E. L. Strider, Ph.D., President of Colby College, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • The Honorable William B. Hathaway, U.S. Senator from Maine, Doctor of Laws
  • Reverend Paul C. Reinert (speaker), President of St. Louis University, Doctor of Humane Letters
1973
  • Rev. Robert J. White, Msgr., Doctor of Laws
  • The Honorable Edward Thaxter Gignoux, Doctor of Laws
  • Dr. Kenneth E. Eble (speaker), Doctor of Humane Letters
1972
  • Dr. Richard Weigle(speaker), President of St. John's University, Doctor of Humane Letters
1971
  • The Honorable Kenneth M. Curtis (speaker), Doctor of Laws
  • The Honorable Thomas J. Paolino, Assoc. Justice of Supreme Court of Rhode Island, Doctor of Laws
  • William S. Huber, Professor Emeritus at Rhode Island School of Design, Doctor of Laws
1970
  • Dr. Edward Y. Blewett, President of Westbrook Junior College, Doctor of Laws
  • Sterling Dow, Ph.D., Professor of Archeology at Harvard College, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • The Honorable James L. Farmer (speaker), Asst. Secretary, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, Doctor of Humane Letters
1969
  • The Honorable Frank Licht (speaker), Governor of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, Doctor of Laws
  • Rt. Rev. Frederick Barton Wolf, Episcopal Diocese of Maine, Doctor of Laws
  • Mr. Waldemar A. Roebuck, President of North American Federation of the Third Order of St. Francis, Doctor of Humane Letters
1968
  • Mr. Edwin D. Canham (speaker), Editor-in-Chief, Christian Science Monitor, Doctor of Laws
  • Rt. Rev. Msgr Adrien G. Verrette, Pastor, St. Georgie's Church, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Mr. Carl Burton Stokes, Mayor of Cleveland, Ohio, Doctor of Law
1967
  • The Most Rev. Peter Leo Gerety, Coadjutor Bishop of Portland, Doctor of Laws
  • Dr. Donald M. MacKenzie (speaker), President of Park College, Doctor of Laws
1966
  • Mr. Lionel B. Kavanagh, President of Standard Tool Company, Doctor of Science
  • Rev. Bernard Haring (speaker), Department of Religious Studies, Brown University, Doctor of Laws
1965
  • Mr. J. Henri Goguen, President General of L'Union St-Jean-Baptiste d'Amerique, Doctor of Laws
  • Most Rev. Ernest Primeau (speaker), Bishop of Manchester, Doctor of Laws
  • Rev. Sister M. Carmel Therriault, President of St. Joseph's College, Doctor of Education
  • Bro. Cajetan J. B. Baumann, O.F.M., Doctor of ScienceMr. Harold D. Carroll, Esq., Doctor of Laws
  • Very Rev. Luke M. Chabot, O.F.M. Minister Provincial, Doctor of Laws
1964
  • Rt. Rev. Msgr. Armand E. Cyr, Holy Rosary Rectory, Doctor of Education
  • Dr. John W. McDeVitt (speaker), Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Doctor of Laws
1963
  • Rev. Georges-Albert Laplante, O.F.M. Doctor of Letters
  • Dr. Robert H. McCarn Doctor of Letters
  • Dr. Philip Lambert (speaker)
1962
  • Most Rev. Daniel J. Feeney, Bishop of Portland, Doctor of Laws
  • Rev. Fernand Porter, O.F.M., Doctor of Letters
1961
  • Joseph E. Sullivan, Sr., Doctor of Letters
  • Senator Edmund S. Muskie, Doctor of Law
  • Dr. Joseph R. Larochelle, Doctor of Letters
  • Rev. Edward V. Stanford (speaker), Doctor of Education