Public Honors and Events
About the award: Honorary degrees are presented to individuals who have provided distinguished service to the state, to learning or to mankind; to letters, to art, to music, to education, or to science; or have provided constructive philanthropy or some other outstanding public service. If possible, the degree should indicate the character of the service. The service shall be general in its effects and not merely local. Recipients must manifest intellectual gifts, displayed either by writing or activities, which would rank them with scholars or entitle them to recognition by learned or education societies of the highest standing. Recipients should also manifest such qualities in their personal lives that would mark them as belonging among individuals of culture and high moral principles.
Past recipients:
2020
Linda Hunt, MSN
Doctor of Nursing, Honoris Causa
Kathleen Kanavy, MA
Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa
Rev. John Horn, DJ, DMin
Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa
Rev. George Aschenbrenner, SJ, STD
Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa
2019
Kyle Korver, BA’03
Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa
Sr. Maurita Soukup, RSM, RN, PHD
Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa
Annemarie Shibata, BA’92
Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Award for Teaching Achievement
Dan Semrad, BSBA’71, MA’09
Doctor of Humane Letters, Honoris Causa
2018
Mae C. Jemison, MD
Doctor of Humane Letters
Clarence L. Werner
Doctor of Business Administration, Honoris Causa
2017
Paul E. Farmer, MD, PhD
Doctor of Humane Letters
2016
Rev. James Martin, SJ bRev. James Martin, SJ
Doctor of Humane Letters
2015
No Recipient
2014
No Recipient
2013
Mary Lou Quinlan
CEO, Just Ask a Woman
2012
Suzanne Malveaux
News Anchor, Cable News Network (CNN)
2011
Rev. John P. Foley, S.J. - Doctor of Humane Letters
Executive Chairman, Cristo Rey Network
His Eminence Jaime Lucas Cardinal Ortega y Alamino - Doctor of Laws
Archbishop, Havana, Cuba
Constance "Connie" M. Ryan, Arts'75 - Doctor of Science, honoris causa
President, Streck, Inc.
2010
Mary and Charles Heider, Doctor of Humane Letters
General Kevin P. Chilton (Dec.) - Doctor of Laws
Commander, United States Strategic Command
The Most Reverend George J. Lucas (Dec.) - Doctor of Humane Letters
Archbishop, Archdiocese of Omaha
2009
Elizabeth Kish - Doctor of Humane Letters
Head of School, Marian High School
Rev. Gregory J. Boyle, S.J. - Doctor of Social Science
Founder and Executive Director of Homeboy Industries
Michael G. Fahey, BA’73 - Doctor of Laws
Mayor, City of Omaha
Wayne and Eileen Ryan (Dec.) - Doctor of Humane Letters
Streck, Inc.
Christopher J. Elias, BS'79, MD'83, M.P.H. - Doctor of Science, honoris causa
President and CEO, PATH (Program for Appropriate Technology in Health)
2008
Kenneth M. Bird - Doctor of Humane Letters
Superintendent, Westside Community Schools
John Gottschalk (Dec.) - Doctor of Humane Letters
Chairman, Omaha World-Herald Company
2007
Bob Newhart- Doctor of Humane Letters
Entertainer
Rev. William F. O’Leary, S.J., MS’68 (Dec.) - Doctor of Humane Letters
Chair, Dept. of Education, Creighton Prep
2006
President Lech Walęsa - Doctor of Law
Former President of Poland
Catherine L. Hughes - Doctor of Humane Letters
Chairman and Founder, RadioOne
The St. Louis Jesuits - Doctor of Music
Robert J. Dufford, S.J.
John B. Foley, S.J.
Robert F. O’Connor Jr., S.J.
Daniel L. Schutte
Timothy J. Russert - Doctor of Laws
Managing Editor and Moderator NBC’s Meet the Press
Mila Ann Aroskar, Ed.D. - Doctor of Science
Professor Emerita at the University of Minnesota
2005
Tessie O. Edwards – Doctor of Humane Letters
Retired teacher, Creighton Prep
Rev. William J. Byron, S.J. - Doctor of Laws
Director of Creighton Center for Service and Justice
Rev. Leland Lubbers, S.J.(Dec.) - Doctor of Science
SCOLA Chief Global Strategist
2004
Michael G. Morrison, S.J. - Doctor of Humane Letters
Past-president of Creighton University
John C. Kenefick - Doctor of Humane Letters
Retired President, Union Pacific Railroad
2003
Jon Cortina, S.J. - Doctor of Humanitarian Service
Professor of Engineering, Univ. of Central America, San Salvador, El Salvador
Pastor, Founder and Director, Pro-Busqeda
2002
None given in May or December
2001
Louis Blumkin - Doctor of Humanities
President, Nebraska Furniture Mart
His Eminence Francis Cardinal George, O.M.I., Ph.D., S.T.D. (Dec.) - Doctor of Laws
Archbishop of Chicago
2000
Rabbi Myer S. Kripke. D.D. - Doctor of Humane Letters
Retired Rabbi, Beth El Synagogue
Charles E. Trimble - Doctor of Cultural Science
President, Charles Trimble Company
1999
Robert M. Veatch, Ph.D. - Doctor of Humanities
Professor of Medical Ethics, Georgetown
Dennis A. O'Neal - Doctor of Humanities
Executive Vice President of First National Bank
Michael Johanns (Dec.) - Doctor of Public Affairs
Governor of Nebraska
1998
Charles T. Hagel - Doctor of Laws
Nebraska State Senator
John C. Kenefick - Doctor of Humanities
Union Pacific Railroad
Rev. Fred Krammer, S.J. (Dec.) - Doctor of Humanitarian Service
President, Catholic Charities USA
1997
John Mulhall - Doctor of Humanities
Mulhall's Nursery Inc.
Herman Cain (Dec.) - Doctor of Humanities
CEO National Restaurant Association
1996
William M. Kizer - Doctor or Humanities
Central States Indemnity Co.
Christine Hixson (Dec.) - Doctor of Humanities
Lied Foundation
1995
Charles "Mike" Harper - Doctor of Human Letters
CEO, R. J. Nabisco
Robert "Joe" Edmonson (Dec.) - Doctor of Humanitarian Service
Edmonson Youth Center
1994
Louis "Chip" Davis - Doctor of Music
President, American Gramophone Records
Archbishop Elden F. Curtiss - Doctor of Humanitarian Service
Archbishop, Omaha Archdiocese
Ernest L. Boyer (Dec.) - Doctor of Human Letters
Carnegie Foundation
