Previous Speakers And Honorary Degree Recipients
View a history of commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients from present until 1967.
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Commencement Speakers
Speaker
Title
Date
Tamara C. Willis, Ph.D. '99, MM '23
Jon S. Kauffman, Ph.D. '85, MM '23
No speaker.
Superintendent, Susquehanna Township School District
Vice President, BioPharma Biologics, Eurofins Lancaster Labs, Inc.
No speaker.
5/4/24 College of EDHS Ceremony @ 9:00 a.m.
5/4/24 College of SCITECH Ceremony @ 1:00 p.m.
5/4/24 College of AHSS & LCOB Ceremony @ 5:00 p.m.
Jennifer Craighead Carey '90, MM23
Partner/Attorney, Barley Snyder
12/9/2023 - All Colleges
Patrick Leahy ’97
Armenta Washington ’85
Joseph W. Garner ’90
Senior Advisor for Government Affairs and Public Policy at U.S. Election Assistance Commission
Research Coordinator Senior at Penn Medicine
Director of Research, Emerald Asset Management
5/6/23 College of EHSS Ceremony @ 9:00 a.m.
5/6/23 College of SCITECH Ceremony @ 1:00 p.m.
5/6/23 College of AHSS & LCOB Ceremony @ 5:00 p.m.
Richard D. Clark Professor of Meteorology Emeritus at
Millersville University5/5/23 Grad Commencement Ceremony Brent D. Frey Retired Director, Worldwide Educational Leadership and Learning Apple, Inc. 12/11/22 - All Colleges Kevin B. Mahoney Chief Executive Officer for the University of Pennsylvania Health System 5/7/22 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony Silvia Vasquez-Lavado Peruvian-American mountaineer, author and social entrepreneur 5/7/22 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony Dr. Damaris Rau
Superintendent, School District of Lancaster
5/6/22 Grad Commencement Ceremony
Dr. Daniel Wubah
15th President of Millersville University
5/8/21 Undergrad Commencement Ceremonies
Dr. Irvin Scott
Senior Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of Education
5/7/21 Grad Commencement Ceremonies
Dr. Villas Prabhu
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, Millersville University
5/6/21 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Michael Shirk
Chief Executive Officer of The High Companies
12/15/19 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Pedro Rivera
Secretary of Education for the State of Pennsylvania
5/11/19 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Dr. Ruth Benns-Suter
Faculty Emeritus
5/10/19 Graduate Commencement Ceremony
Dr. Daniel Greenstein
Chancellor, Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education
12/16/18 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Dr. John Anderson
14th President, Millersville University
5/12/18 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Dr. Rita Smith Wade-El
Millersville University Professor, Psychology
5/11/18 Grad Commencement Ceremony
Honorable Richard Gray
Mayor of Lancaster City
12/17/17
Marie Harf
Fox News Commentator, Former Senior Advisor for Strategic Communications to U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry at the United States Department of State
5/13/17 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Dr. Dennis Downey
Respected member of the Millersville University faculty since 1981
5/12/16 Graduate Commencement Ceremony
Thomas Baldrige
President & CEO Lancaster County Chamber of Commerce & Industry
12/11/16 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Guido M. Pichini
Chairman of the Board of Governors (BOG) of Pennsylvania's State System of Higher Education
5/7/16 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Dr. Ana Börger-Greco
Associate Professor of Spanish, Millersville University
5/6/16 Graduate Commencement Ceremony
The Honorable Jordan Harris
PA State Representative,
186th District, &
MU Alum12/13/15 Undergrad Commencement Ceremony
Kim Lemon
News Anchor, WGAL
5/9/15
Undergrad Commencement CeremonyDr. Leroy Hopkins
MU Professor of Foreign Languages
5/8/15
Grad Commencement CeremonyMaureen Powers
Executive Officer, Lancaster YWCA
12/14/15
Undergrad Commencement CeremonyLieutenant General David L. Mann
3-Star Commanding General, U.S. Army
5/10/14
Undergrad Commencement CeremonyDr. Deborah T. Castellucci
Associate Professor, Nursing
5/9/14
Grad Commencement CeremonyRoy B. Clair
President of Clair Brothers Audio
12/15/13
Commencement CeremonyDr. Francine G. McNairy
President Emerita of Millersville University
12/15/13
Commencement CeremonyThe Honorable Tom Corbett
Governor, Commonwealth of PA
5/18/13
Undergrad CeremonyDr. Cheryl Desmond
MU Professor of Educational Foundations
5/17/13
Grad CeremonyDr. Francine G. McNairy
13th President of Millersville University
12/16/12
Dr. James Nevels
Founder and Chairman, The Swarthmore Group
5/12/12
Undergrad CeremonyDr. Kathryn Gregoire
Professor and Chair, Social Work
5/11/12
Graduate CeremonyKevin Harley
Director of Communications and Press Secretary for Gov. Tom Corbett
12/18/11
Dr. Hugh Miller Herr
MU Alum and Head of Biomechatronic Lab at M.I.T.
05/07/11
Undergrad CeremonyDr. Thomas Bell
MU Alum and Professor of Industry and Technology
05/06/11
Graduate CeremonyDr. Sylvia Shellenberger
Millersville University alumna and Professor of Family Medicine at Mercer University School of Medicine
12/19/10
Brian Gladden
President and CEO, Dell Computers, Inc.
05/08/10
Undergrad CommencementDr. Tiffany Wright
Principal, York Technical High School
05/07/10
Graduate Commence.Dr. Sylvia Shellenberger
Professor of Family Medicine, Mercer University School of Medicine
12/20/09
(Commencement ceremony cancelled due to inclement weather)Don Eberly
author, civic entrepreneur, and advocate for civil society and private philanthropy
05/02/09
Dr. Curtis A. Pettaway
Professor of Urology and Cancer Biology at the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center
12/14/08
Dr. Kenneth MelaniPresident and CEO, Highmark, Inc.
05/10/08
Dr. Craig A. Camasta
Doctor of Podiatric Medicine
12/16/07
The Hon Lawrence F. Stengel
U.S. District Court/Eastern District of PA
5/12/07
Elizabeth Hirak Field, M.D.
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics
12/17/2006
Soledad O’Brien
Television Journalist and CNN Co-Anchor
5/13/2006
Paul Beideman
Associated Banc Corp.
12/18/05
Dr. Albert Hunt
The Wall Street Journal / CNN
5/7/05
Bennett J. Cooper, Esq. ‘67
Insurance Brokerage Consultant
12/19/04
Dr. Brian Roper
London Metropolitan University
5/2/04
Dana Chryst
CEO, The Jay Group
12/14/03
Dr. Joseph A. Caputo
President/MU
5/17/03
Phillip Walker
12/15/02
William Davis
CEO, R. R. Donnelley & Sons
5/11/02
Dirksen Lehman
Special Assistant to the United States President for Legislative Affairs
12/16/01
Dr. William Kristol
Editor & Publisher of The Weekly Standard
5/12/01
John Stacks
TIME Magazine s Editor for Creative Development
12/17/00
Judy Woodruff
CNN news anchor
5/13/00
Dr. Howard L. Jones
Professor of Curriculum and instruction at The University of Houston; member of MU class of 1962
12/19/99
The Honorable Mark S. Schweiker
Lieutenant Governor
State of Pennsylvania5/15/99
Diane Koken
Pennsylvania State Insurance Commissioner
graduate of Millersville University12/20/98
Doris Kearns Goodwin
Pulitizer Prize winning author & historian; former Harvard professor
5/16/98
Richard Blouse
President of Greater Detroit Chamber of Commerce & 1967 graduate of Millersville University
12/21/97
Carole Simpson
Emmy Award winning ABC News Senior Correspondent
5/17/97
Lt. Gen. Carol A. Mutter
Marine Corps Deputy Chief of Staff
for Manpower & Reserve Affairs12/15/96
August commencements discontinued
Kevin McCarthy
Noted Stage, Screen, and Film Actor
5/11/96
Colonel Paul J. Evanko
Commissioner, PA State Police & 1969 graduate of Millersville University
12/17/95
Dr. James W. White
President, Association of PA State Colleges and University Faculties (APSCUF)
8/17/95
Daniel Schorr
Veteran Report-Commentator and Senior News Analyst for National Public Radio
5/13/95
Stephen Gunzenhauser
Maestro, Lancaster Symphony Orchestra
12/18/94
Ronald Porter, Sr.
MU alumnus, President of RDP Consulting Services, Specialists in Human Resources Management, Pittsburgh, PA
8/20/94
Helen Thomas
White House Bureau Chief for United Press International
5/14/94
The Honorable Noah W. Wenger
PA State Senator (36th District)
12/19/93
Violet Geib
MU Alumna and 1993 PA Teacher of the Year
Teacher at Manheim Central Stiegel Elementary School8/21/93
Andy Rooney
CBS 60 Minutes
5/15/93
The Honorable Donald M. Carroll, Jr.
PA Secretary of Education
12/20/92
Dr. John Michalcewiz
Executive Director of the Commission on Secondary Schools, Middle States Association of Colleges & Universities
8/22/92
Dr. Linda M. Rhodes
Secretary of Aging
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania5/16/92
Dr. Bernard C. Watson
President and CEO
William Penn Foundation
Philadelphia, PA
Honorary Degree Recipient,
Doctorate of Humane Letters12/15/91
Dr. John C. Martin
Economic Analyst, Manager
Martin O Connell Associates, Lancaster8/17/91
Herman E. Armstrong
Vice President of Operations
Warner-Lambert Co., Lititiz, PA
Received President s MedallionNo formal commencement address was given at this commencement.
5/11/91
William J. Shaughnessy
President and CEO
Wilbur Chocolate Co., Inc.12/16/90
Joseph F. Bard
Commissioner for Basic Education
PA Department of Education8/18/90
William W. Adams
Chairman of the Board & CEO
Armstrong World Industries, Inc.(MU Honorary Degree Recipient: Doctorate of Humane Letters)
and
Mr. Franklin R. Eichler, President of the SICO Company & Treasurer of the SICO Foundation (Received1st President s Medallion on behalf of the SICO Foundation.No formal commencement address was given at this commencement.
5/12/90
The Honorable Arthur E. Morris
Mayor of the City of Lancaster
12/17/89
Joan M. Detz
Author, Speech Writer, & MU Alumna
8/19/89
The Honorable Genevieve Blatt
Senior Judge, Commonwealth Court of PA. Received honorary degree: Doctorate of Humane Letters
5/13/89
The Honorable Ronald R. Cowell
Member, PA House of Representatives, 34th District
12/18/88
Dr. Charles R. Fuget
Pennsylvania Commissioner for Higher Education
8/20/88
Dr. Jerrold S. Petrofsky
Professor of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, University of California, Irvine (MU Honorary Degree Recipient: Doctorate of Humane Letters)
5/14/88
The Honorable Louise G. Herr
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of Lancaster County
12/19/87
Madelyn P. Nix, Esq.
In-house attorney, Ford New Holland, Inc.
8/22/87
The Honorable Mark S. Singel
Lieutenant Governor
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania5/9/87
David R. Dodds
Vice President and General Manager
WGAL-TV12/14/86
Dr. Mary Emily Hannah
Vice Chancellor for Academic Policy and Planning, State System of Higher Education
8/16/86
Richard W. Moll
Executive Director of Legal Personnel and External Affairs for the New York City law firm of Lord, Day & Lord
Author of The Public Ivys5/10/86
William W. Adams
Executive Vice President
Armstrong World Industries, Inc.12/14/85
Dr. Harvey S. Long
Educational Applications Consultant
I.B.M. Corporation8/17/85
Dr. James H. McCormick
Chancellor of the State System of Higher Education in Pennsylvania
5/11/85
Judge Lisa A. Richette
Judge of Common Pleas, City of Philadelphia
Authoress of the Throw Away Children12/15/84
Ms. Maggie Kuhn
Founder of the Gray Panthers
8/18/84
Dr. C.T. Enus Wright
President, Cheyney University of Pennsylvania
5/12/84
Dr. Keith H. Lovin
Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, MU
12/17/83
Eleanor Smeal
Past President
National Organization for Women8/20/83
William Y. Rial, M.D.
President, American Medical Association
5/14/83
Saul H. Mendlovitz, J.D.
Vice President, Institute for World Order Studies, Columbia University
12/18/82
Jack Doyle
Director, Rural Land & Energy Project
Environmental Policies Institute8/21/82
Robert E. White
Former U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador
5/15/82
S. Dale High
President, High Industries
12/19/81
Dr. W. Jack Cassidy
Associate Professor, Elementary/Early Childhood Education, MU
8/14/81
James Lloyd, Jr.
Senator, 5th District
5/16/81
Clayton Sommers
Commissioner of Higher Education
12/20/80
G. Terry Madonna
President, APSCUF-MU
8/22/80
Helen B. O Bannon
Secretary of Public Welfare
5/17/80
Gibson E. Armstrong
House of Representatives, 100th District
12/21/79
J. Craig Lewis
Senator from the 67th District
8/24/79
Ethel D. Allen
Secretary of the Commonwealth
5/19/79
Michael A. O Pake
State Senator, Reading
12/22/78
Mark Ebersole
President, Elizabethtown College
8/25/78
Robert Walker
U.S. Congressman
5/13/78
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Commencement postponed until May
12/77
Paul H. Nichols
Chairman, Department of Earth Science
8/26/77
Ralph W. Hess
State Senator
5/14/77
Charles I. Kent
Assistant to the President for Academic Affairs
12/23/76
Dr. Joseph E. Walker
Professor Emeritus
Millersville University8/20/76
C. R. Ordal
Vice President
Worldwide Government Relations5/15/76
Rev. James D. Glasse
President, Lancaster Theological Seminary
12/20/75
Marvin E. Miller, Sr.
State Representative, 97th District
8/22/75
Jeannete F. Reibman
Chairman and Senator of State Education Committee
5/10/75
Richard A. Snyder
State Senator
12/21/74
Richard Keller
Department of History, MU
8/30/74
Helene Wolgemuth
Secretary of Public Welfare
5/15/74
Theodore A. Distler
Former Executive Director of Association of American Colleges in Washington, DC
12/21/73
D. L. Biemesderfer
President Emeritus, MU
8/31/73
B. Anton Hess
Executive Secretary, PA Association of American Colleges in Washington, DC
5/11/73
Arthur B. Sinkler
Chairman, BSCUD
12/22/72
Rebecca F. Gross
BSCUD
8/25/72
Justice Samuel J. Roberts
Supreme Court of PA
5/26/72
Keith Spalding
President, Franklin and Marshall College
1/14/72
James H. Rowland, Sr.
President, National Assoc. of State Board
of Education8/27/71
Donald Barnhouse
News Analyst and Commentator
5/28/71
Rev. James D. Glasse
President, Lancaster Theological Seminary
1/15/71
Dr. W. Michael Blumenthal
President, Bendix International
8/28/70
Dr. John R. Coleman
President of Haverford College
5/22/70
Dr. Marvin Wachman
Vice President for Academic Affairs
Temple University1/16/70
Dr. A. G. Breidenstine
Former Dean of Academic Affairs
8/29/69
Dr. Bernard E. Donovan
Superintendent of Schools of the City of New York
5/23/69
Dr. Harry D. Gideonse
Chancellor of the New School for Social Research
1/19/69
Theodore R. McKeldin
Former Governor of Maryland
8/30/68
Dr. John William Cataldo
Director of Art Education
Philadelphia College of Art5/24/68
Marvin E. Miller
House of Representatives
1/ /68
Frederic K. Miller
Deputy Superintendent & Commissioner for Higher Education - Public Instruction
8/25/67
Dr. Roger Revelle
Director of Center for Population Studies
Harvard University5/26/67
John C. Pittenger
Director of Research
Minority Caucus
House of Representatives1/20/67
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Honorary Degree Recipients
RECIPIENT
DEGREE & OCCASION
DATE REC’D.
Thomas T. Baldrige
President and CEO of the Lancaster ChamberDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/7/22 Kevin B. Mahoney
CEO for the University of Pennsylvania Health SystemDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/7/22 Silvia Vasquez-Lavado
Peruvian-American mountaineer, author and social entrepreneurDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/7/22 Dr. Irvin Scott
Senior Lecturer, Harvard Graduate School of EducationDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/7/21 Dr. Rita Smith-Wade-El (Posthumously)
Retired FacultyDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/6/21 Andrea Shirk
General Manager of Rock LititzDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/15/19 Dr. Hugh M Herr '90
Professor of Media Arts and Science at the MIT Media Lab, and Co-Director of the MIT Center for Extreme BionicsDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/11/19 Vivien Anderson
Former first lady of Millersville UniversityDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/16/18 Dr. John Anderson
14th President of Millersville UniversityDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/16/18 Honorable Richard Gray
Mayor of Lancaster CityDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/17/17 Dana Chryst '81
President and CEO of The Jay GroupDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/13/17 Guido Pichini
Outgoing Chairman, Board of Governors PASSHE President of WSK & AssociatesDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement5/7/16
Lieutenant General David L. Mann
3-Star Commanding General, U.S. ArmyDegree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement5/10/14
Dr. Roy B. Clair
President of Clair Brothers AudioDegree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement12/15/13
Dr. Francine G. McNairy
President Emerita of Millersville UniversityDegree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement12/15/13
Dr. Stephen Kepchar
Senior Vice President & Wealth Advisor
Morgan StanelyDegree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement12/16/12
Dr. Bennett Cooper
Senior Distribution Consultant
Branca-Rampart Financial Services, Inc.Degree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement12/16/12
Dr. Carlos Graupera
President, Spanish American Civic AssociationDegree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement5/12/12
Dr. William Reuter
Chairman and CEO, Susquehanna Bancshares, IncDegree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement5/12/12
Dr. James Nevels
Founder and Chairman, The Swarthmore GroupDegree: Doctor of Humane Letter
At: Commencement5/12/12
Dr. Charles and Mrs. Patricia Robertson
Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/19/10
Senator Gibson E. Armstrong
Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/02/09
The Honorable Diane Koken
Former Commonwealth of PA Insurance CommissionerDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/10/08
Dr. Charles Winter
Degree: Doctor of Laws
At: Commencement05/10/08
Samuel Lombardo
CEO, The Benecon GroupDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/16/07
Paul S. Beideman ‘71
CEO, Associated Bank Corp.Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/18/05
Albert Hunt
Exec. Editor, Washington for Bloomberg NewsDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/07/05
Dr. Brian Roper
CEO, London Metropolitan UniversityDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/02/04
Dr. Joseph A. Caputo
MU President (1981-2003)Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/17/03
Linda R. Caputo
Wife of former MU President, Joseph CaputoDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/17/03
Charles Hash ‘48
COT member/Chair, Walshire Assurance Co.
York, PADegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/15/02
Willis W. Shenk
Chair, Lancaster Newspapers, Inc.Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/15/02
Morris Dees
Co-founder/Chief Counsel, Southern Poverty Law Ctr.Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Kenderdine Lecture11/09/00
Arthur J. Glatfelter
Chair, Glatfelter Insurance Grp.Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/16/98
J. Freeland Chryst ‘50
CEO, The Jay GroupDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/16/98
Miles Lerman
U.S. Holocaust Memorial Council ChairDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/17/97
Kevin McCarthy
Noted stage & screen actorDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/11/96
Anne B. Sweigart
Chair & CEO, Denver & Ephrata Telegraph & Telephone Co., Ephrata, PADegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/13/95
Dr. Elie Wiesel
1989 Nobel Peace Prize recipientDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Holocaust Conference03/14/93
Dr. Bernard C. Watson
President & CEO, William Penn Foundation, Phila.Degree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement12/15/91
Señor Camilo Jose Cela
1989 Nobel Prize recipient for LiteratureDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Special campus visit09/28/90
William W. Adams
President & CEO, Armstrong World IndustriesDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/12/90
Genevieve Blatt
Senior Judge, Commonwealth Court of PADegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement05/13/89
Dr. Jerrold S. Petrofsky
Prof., Psych/Human Behavior, Univ. of CA, IrvineDegree: Doctor of Humane Letters
At: Commencement
(First MU honorary degree recipient)05/14/88
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Questions
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717- 871-5005
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