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
Brent D. Frey Retired Director, Worldwide Educational Leadership and Learning Apple, Inc. 12/11/22 Grad/Undergrad Commencement Ceremony 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 and Contacts
Please see the FAQs for additional information.
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Application to graduate, degree audit, transcripts and diploma mailing questions.(717) 871-5005
Commencement: Commencement@millersville.edu
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Master’s and Doctoral Candidate inquiries should be directed to lucie.lehr@millersville.edu or (717) 871-7638.Office of University Events
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Caps, gowns, honors cords, stoles, class rings, graduation announcements and yard signs.(717) 871-7610
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