An award-winning actress, the House majority leader, an NBA star and HIV/AIDS activist and the U.S. attorney for Massachusetts are among the candidates for honorary degrees this spring, the Board of Trustees decided Friday.
University President Steven Knapp will select recipients of ceremonial degrees during this spring’s Commencement from a candidate pool that includes Meryl Streep, Magic Johnson, Rep. Eric Cantor, R-Va., and Carmen Ortiz.
Recipients must meet two out of three criteria: a connection to GW, a commitment to public service and distinguished professional, intellectual, academic or creative success.
Last fall, the Board approved a list of 14 potential degree recipients, including author J.K. Rowling and Prime Minister of India Manmohan Singh. Knapp ultimately selected international businessman Carlos Slim and alumna and artist Clarice Smith for the degrees, along with Commencement speaker and NBC Nightly News anchor Brian Williams.
Chairman of the board Russell Ramsey, who announced the candidates at a meeting Friday, lauded Streep for “vigorously supporting the arts.” The actress has picked up 17 Academy Award and 26 Golden Globe nominations – the most in the history for each award.
Johnson, an HIV-positive activist and the former point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers, came to campus last month for the annual Celebration of Science. Ramsey said Johnson expressed interest in the business schools’ master’s program for professional athletes.
Eric Cantor, who earned his bachelor’s degree in 1985, is the highest-ranking alumnus in Congress, Ramsey said. The Republican, who faces re-election this fall, is also the top-seated Jewish member of any Congress in history.
Ortiz, a 1981 law school graduate, is Boston’s first woman and first Hispanic to serve as U.S. Attorney. She landed the Bostonian of the year nod in 2012 for tackling white-collar crime and corruption throughout the city.
In past years, honorary degree candidates like first lady Michelle Obama, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and civil rights activist Julian Bond were also invited to keynote Commencement.
Nominations come from faculty and students and are vetted by the Faculty Senate.
Eric Cantor’s recognition by GW will possibly result in the diminishing of alumni support.
I agree with Norm Rosenblood. I personally will be very disappointed if Cantor gets recognized.
Oh boo frickity hoo.
You can’t stand to see anyone recognized who is not a barking at the moon liberal? Or are you just mad that Rep. Cantor is a contradiction in your eyes by being a Republican, who also happens to be Jewish?
I’m glad that GW has a diverse slate of honorees. I don’t always agree with their politics, but I understand that many of them have made significant accomplishments.
Actually, GW’s terrible bureaucracy and terrible infrastructure (dorms, libraries, etc.) are more likely to diminish alum support.
The school grants actual degrees to hundreds (thousands?) of conservative students each year — who cares?
Selecting Eric cantor would a way to show the world that GW is not run by the Democratic Party as most outsiders would reasonably assume.
Insiders (i.e. paying students) could be easily fooled as well…
I wholeheartedly DESPISE Cantor’s politics but I wouldn’t be too upset if he received an honorary degree. He’s a successful alumni, and those are who should be honored. GW has plenty of other honorary degrees to non-alumni that they should be ashamed of (Hosni Mubarak and Tony freaking Bennett to name a few)