Table of Contents

Honorary Degrees

Trinity College Honorary Degree Recipients by year. Commencement speakers are listed in bold type.

Degree abbreviations: DD – Doctor of Divinity; LHD – Doctor of Humane Letters; DHum – Doctor of Humanities; LittD – Doctor of Letters; LLD – Doctor of Laws; ScD – Doctor of Science; DFA – Doctor of Fine Arts; DM – Doctor of Music; DST – Doctor of Sacred Theology; DPH – Doctor of Public Health; JCD – Doctor of Canon Law; MA – Master of Arts; MFA – Master of Fine Arts; MLitt – Master of Letters; MM – Master of Music; MS - Master of Science; BA – Bachelor of Arts; BM – Bachelor of Music; BS – Bachelor of Science

Not included: ad eundem degrees

2020s

2024

2023

Nicole Hockley ’92, Co-Founder and CEO of Sandy Hook Promise, delivers the 2023 Commencement address. Photo credit: Office of Communications and Marketing

2022

2021

1: Honored as first four women to receive undergraduate degrees

2020

A delayed commencement ceremony was held in June 2022 due to the Covid pandemic.

2010s

2019

2018

2017

2016

2015

2014

2013

2012

2011

2010

2000s

2009

2008

2007

2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

2000

1990s

1999

1: Awarded at September 1999 concert, 2: Awarded at November 1999 convocation "The Art of Courage"

1998

Former President Jimmy Carter Speaking at Commencement, 1998. Photo credit: John Garaventa courtesy of Trinity College Archives

1: Awarded at “Women at the Millennium” Convocation, November 1998, 2: Commencement speaker in 2018

1997

1: Ceremony in September 1997, 2: “Century of Engineering” Convocation, November 1997

1996

1: Ceremony in April 1996, 2: “Public Policy” Convocation, September 1996

1995

1994

1993

1992

1991

1990

1980s

1989

1988

1987

1986

1: “A Time for Reconciliation” convocation, January 1986

1985

1: Fall convocation, October 1985

1984

1: Awarded at ceremony honoring donation of Enders Natural History Collection, March 1984

1983

1982

1981

1980

1970s

1979

1978

1977

1976

1975

1974

1973

1972

1971

1970

1960s

1969

1968

1967

1967 Honorary degree recipients: (seated from left to right) John Noel Dempsey, Edwin Deacon Etherington, Trinity College President Jacobs; Pauline Seavey Fairbanks, Robert Bruce Hall; (standing from left to right) Charles Martin, Charles Harting Percy, Vernon Davis Roosa, Paul Holmes Twaddle. Photo credit: Trinity College Archives

1966

1965

1: Awarded at dedication for Austin Arts Center, May 15, 1965

1964

1963

1962

1961

1960

1950s

1959

1958

1957

1956

1955

1: Awarded at "The Challenges to Liberal Education" convocation, November 10 - 13, 1955

1954

Dwight D. Eisenhower at commencement on October 20, 1954. Photo credit: Trinity College Archives

1: Special convocation, October 20, 1954

1953

1: Awarded at Inauguration of Pres. Albert Jacobs, May 16, 1953

1952

1951

1950

1940s

1949

1948

1: Open Air Service Address 2: 125 Anniversary Convocation May 16, 1948

1947

1946

1: Awarded at Inauguration of Pres. George Funston, February 22, 1946

1945

1: Special convocation held on February 22, 1945

1944

1943

1942

1: Speaker, Mid-winter graduation exercises, December 20, 1942

1941

1940

1: Speaker, Class of 1944 Matriculation Ceremony, October 30, 1940

1930s

1939

1938

1937

1936

1935

1934

1933

1932

1: Awarded posthumously

1931

1930

1920s

1929

1928

1927

1926

1925

1924

1923

Trinity College 1923 Honorary degree recipients (L-R): Ernest DeKoven Leffingwell, '95; Sidney Trowbridge Miller, '85; John Henry Kelso Davis '99. Trinity College Commencement, 1923. Courtesy of Trinity College Archives

1: Centennial celebration; Prof. Herford is alum of Trinity College of Cambridge University 2: Trinity College Bulletin, 1935-1936 (Necrology)

1922

1921

1920

1: in absentia

1910s

1919

1: in absentia

1918

Honorary Degree recipients at Commencement, June 17, 1918. From left, President Flavel Sweeten Luther, Theodore Roosevelt, R.J. Coles, a field naturalist, and George Shiras III. Photo credit: F.F. Chudoba courtesy of Trinity College Archives

1917

1: in absentia 2: Trinity Tripod, Commencement Issue, June 22, 1917

1916

1: in absentia, 2: Awarded in 1914 but unable to attend, 3: Awarded on Founders' and Benefactors' Day, November 1, 1916

1915

1: in absentia

1914

1913

1912

1911

1910

1900s

1909

1908

1907

1906

1905

1904

1903

1902

1901

1900

1890s

1899

1898

1897

1896

1895

1894

1893

1892

1891

1890

1880s

1889

1888

1887

1886

1885

1884

1883

1882

1881

1880

1870s

1879

1878

1877

1876

1875

1874

1873

1872

1871

1870

1860s

1869

1868

1867

1866

1865

1864

1. Left college to join the National Service

1863

1862

1861

1860

1850s

1859

1858

1857

1856

1855

1854

1853

1852

1851

1850

1840s

1849

1848

1847

1846

1845

1844

1843

1842

1841

1840

1830s

1839

1838

1837

1836

1835

1834

1833

1832

1831

1830

1820s

1829

1828

1827

1826

1: in absentia

Sources

Trinity College Commencement Programs (1827 - Present)

Trinity Reporter and Alumni Magazines (1939 - present)

Trinity College Bulletins and Catalogues (1824 - present)

Trinity Tripod (1904 - present)

Trinity Tablet (1868 - 1908)

Trinity College Board of Trustees Minutes (1823 - 1967)