Ten honorary degrees to be awarded at Commencement

Author: Erik Runyon

Nine distinguished figures from academia, the arts, broadcasting, business, chemical engineering, journalism, law and technology will join principal speaker Cardinal Theodore E. McCarrick, archbishop emeritus of Washington, D.C., as honorary degree recipients at the University of Notre Dame’s 163rd Commencement exercises May 18 (Sunday) in the Joyce Center arena on campus.

Cardinal McCarrick will receive an honorary doctor of laws degree. Other honorary degree recipients are:

Frances E. Allen (doctor of engineering) – An IBM fellow emerita, Allen is regarded a pioneer in computer technology and is noted for achievements in optimizing compilers, computer programs and computer systems that have served as a foundation for modern high-speed computing. In the early 1960s, she worked on the top secret Stretch-Harvest computer for the National Security Agency to extract intelligence from intercepted spy communications from around the world. The first woman to be named an IBM fellow, she also was the first woman chosen to receive the highest honor in her field, the A.M. Turing Award of the Association for Computing Machinery. Before retiring, she served as senior technical advisor to IBMs senior research vice president for solutions, applications and services.

Peter R. Brown (doctor of laws) – The Philip and Beulah Rollins !/assets/Peter Brown_rel.jpg! Professor of History at Princeton University, Brown is credited with creating the field of study known aslate antiquity(250 to 800 A.D.).The author of dozens of books on the rise of Christianity and the end of the Roman Empire, he is best known for his authoritative biography of St. Augustine, published in 1967.Before joining the faculty at Princeton in 1986, Brown taught at Royal Holloway College, the University of London and the University of California, Berkeley.

Marye Anne Fox (doctor of science) – A nationally known physical organic chemist and academic leader, Fox is the chancellor of the University of California, San Diego. Previously, she was chancellor and distinguished university professor of chemistry at North Carolina State University. She is the author of 350 research publications, five books and 29 contributed book chapters and serves on the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology. Fox earned a bachelors degree in science from Notre Dame College, a masters degree in science from Cleveland State University and a doctorate from Dartmouth College.

Samuel Hazo (doctor of humane letters)A 1949 Notre Dame graduate and the McAnulty Distinguished Professor of English Emeritus at Duquesne University, Hazo is the founder and director of the International Poetry Forum in Pittsburgh.A novelist, essayist and playwright best known for his literary abilities as a poet, Hazo is a National Book Award finalist and, in 1993, was named the first State Poet of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvaniaa position he held through 2003.Hazo also is a past winner of the Notre Dame Alumni Associations Griffin Award for distinguished achievements in writing and a retired United States Marine Corps captain.

Catherine L. Hughes (doctor of laws) – Founder of Radio One, !/assets/Cathy Hughes_rel.jpg! the nations seventh largest radio broadcasting company and the largest radio broadcasting company targeting African-American listeners, Hughes was the first woman to own a radio station that achieved number one ratings in a major market. She also is the first African-American woman to own a publicly traded company. In 1975, Hughes was appointed head of WHUR, an urban-contemporary radio station owned by Howard University, becoming the first woman in Washington, D.C., to lead a broadcast facility. She stepped down as chief executive officer of Radio One in 1997 and now serves as the chair of its board. Known as an activist and for her commitment to the African-American community, Hughes sponsors a summer camp for inner-city youths, andDream Feast,a fellowship in which celebrities feed the homeless.

Michael W. McConnell (doctor of laws) – A native of Louisville, Ky., Judge Michael W. McConnell of the U.S. 10th Circuit Court of Appeals has served in his judicial post since 2002.A prominent scholar of constitutional law before coming to the bench, he continues to teach at the University of Utahs S.J. Quinneys College of Law.He is well known for his enthusiastic advocacy for the free exercise of religion and free speech and for his criticism of the Supreme Courts 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

Michael L. Shuler (doctor of engineering) – Shuler is the !/assets/Mike Shuler_rel.jpg! James and Martha McCormick Chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering and Samuel B. Eckert Professor of Chemical Engineering in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Cornell University. His research has focused on applying chemical reaction engineering principles to biological systems, leading to the development of pharmaceuticals such as Taxol, a chemotherapy drug. He was the first scientist to envision the possibility, and pioneer the practice, of quantitatively simulating molecular and cellular biological systems with in vitro devices such as bioreactors and dynamic cell culture analog systems. Schuler earned a bachelors degree in chemical engineering from Notre Dame and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Minnesota.

John OShea (doctor of laws) – Formerly a sportswriter for the Irish Evening Press newspaper, John OShea is founder of GOAL, an Irish non-governmental organization devoted to serving the worlds poorest people.Inspired by the example of Mother Teresa of Calcutta, OShea established the humanitarian organization in 1977 and directed it for 17 years as a volunteer while continuing his work as a journalist.Since 1993, he has been GOALs full time chief executive officer, now administering relief and development programs in more than 50 countries worldwide.

John W. Thompson (doctor of laws) -As chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of Symantec Corporation since 1999, Thompson has overseen the companys growth from a small consumer software publisher to a global leader in security, storageand systems management systems. Recognized as an authority on information security systems, Thompson was appointed by President George W. Bush in 2002 to the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee to make recommendations on the security of the infrastructure of the U.S.From 1971 to 1999, Thompson had a distinguished career with the IBM Corporation where he held senior executive positions in sales, marketing and software development. He also serves on the board of directors for UPS, Seagate and Teach for America.

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