Honorary Degrees

One of the highlights of UNC Charlotte's Commencement ceremonies is the recognition of individuals for exceptional and distinctive service to the University or the larger community with an honorary degree from UNC Charlotte.

Nomination Process

For details on nomination criteria, procedures, and the Nominations, Honors, and Awards Committee, please see University Policy 209, Honorary Degrees.

The deadline for nominations is October 20, 2023.  Nominations should be directed to Matt Wyse, Faculty Governance Assistant, Office of Academic Affairs, 223 Cato Hall, UNC Charlotte (mwyse@charlotte.edu).

Honorary Degrees Conferred include:

May 16, 2023 Demond T. Martin Doctor of Public Service
May 13-14, 2022 Karen Popp
Joe Price
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Public Service
May 11-12, 2018 Ann Clark
Ophelia Garmon-Brown
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Public Service
Dec 16, 2017 Julius Rolf Weinberg Doctor of Humane Letters
May 13, 2016 Fannie Flono
Emily Zimmern
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Public Service
May 9, 2015 Jerry Richardson Doctor of Public Service
May 9, 2014 Eugene B. Johnson Doctor of Public Service
May 11, 2013 Ruth G. Shaw Doctor of Public Service
May 14, 2011 James H. Woodward Doctor of Public Service
May 15, 2010 Leon and Sandra Levine Doctor of Public Service
May 11, 2009 Harvey Gantt Doctor of Public Service
May 10, 2008 John Crawford Doctor of Public Service
Dec 15, 2007 Seddon Goode, Jr. Doctor of Public Service
May 12, 2007 Felix Sabates Doctor of Public Service
May 13, 2006 Howard C. Bissell Doctor of Public Service
May 14, 2005 Howard J. Haworth Doctor of Public Service
May 15, 2004 Edward J. Snyder, Jr. Doctor of Public Service
Dec 20, 2003 John Crosland, Jr. Doctor of Humane Letters
Dec 14, 2002 Lech Walesa Doctor of Laws
May 11, 2002 Rolfe Neill Doctor of Humane Letters
Dec 15, 2001 Ruth M. Easterling Doctor of Laws
May 12, 2001 Robert B. Jordan, III Doctor of Laws
Dec 16, 2000 Bishop George E. Battle, Jr. Doctor of Public Service
May 13, 2000 Wayland H. Cato, Jr. Doctor of Humane Letters
Dec 18, 1999 Erskine E. Bowles Doctor of Public Service
May 15, 1999 Russell M. Robinson, II Doctor of Public Service
Dec 19, 1998 Dale F. Halton Doctor of Humane Letters
May 10, 1998 E.K. Fretwell, Jr. Doctor of Public Service
Dec 20, 1997 William H. Grigg Doctor of Public Service
May 10, 1997 Edward E. Crutchfield Doctor of Public Service
Dec 14, 1996 Irwin Belk Doctor of Public Service
May 6, 1996 Mariam Cannon Hayes
Robert Griffith Hayes
Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
May 13, 1995 Herman Blumenthal Doctor of Humane Letters
May 14, 1994 George T. Butler Doctor of Humane Letters
May 15, 1993 W. Duke Kimbrell Doctor of Public Service
May 10, 1992 John Cocke
S. Scott Ferebee
Doctor of Science
Doctor of Fine Arts
May 11, 1991 Jack E. Claiborne
Elizabeth S. Randolph
Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Public Service
May 12, 1990 R. Stuart Dickson
Jacob Berke Freedland
James B. McMillan
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Laws
May 13, 1989 David S. Citron
Hugh L. McColl, Jr.
Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Public Service
May 14, 1988 William States Lee, III
W. Ann Reynolds
David Taylor
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Public Service
May 16, 1987 Thomas M. Belk
Richard H. Hagemeyer
Oliver R. Rowe
Terry Sanford
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Laws
May 18, 1986 William C. Friday Doctor of Public Service
May 11, 1985 Gov. James G. Martin
Loonis Reeves McGlohon
Edyth Farnham Winningham
Doctor of Laws
Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
1984 William J. Bennett
James J. Harris
Ellen Black Winston
Doctor of Humanities
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Public Service
1983 Charles Clifford Cameron
John Labon Fraley
John Hope Franklin
Susie Marshall Sharp
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Humanities
Doctor of Laws
1982 Anita Stroud Doctor of Humanities
1980-1981 No degrees awarded  
May 12, 1979 Dean Wallace Colvard
Bonnie Ethel Cone
Doctor of Public Service
Doctor of Humanities
1978 No degrees awarded  
May 7, 1977 Harry Lee Dalton
Harry Lewis Golden
Alice Lindsay Tate
Doctor of Literature
Doctor of Humane Letters
Doctor of Humane Letters
1975-1976 No degrees awarded  
May 12, 1974 Sam J. Ervin, Jr. Doctor of Laws
1970-1973 No degrees awarded  
June 1, 1969 Luther Hartwell Hodges
John Paul Lucas, Jr.
Doctor of Laws
Doctor of Letters
May 26, 1968 Frank Porter Graham
Addison Hardcastle Reese
Doctor of Letters
Doctor of Laws

Note:  The Board of Trustees has the legal and moral right to grant honorary degrees in the name of the University. The Faculty assumes no responsibility for the awarding of honorary degrees. The Faculty is willing, however, to advise the Board of Trustees on this matter through the activity of the Honorary Degree Advisory Committee. The Committee is charged to work with the Trustees and the Chancellor to suggest individuals for honorary degrees.