La Salle University has celebrated many accomplished professionals, community leaders, elected officials, and Christian Brothers with the conferral of honorary degrees over its 160-year history.  

These recognitions—typically awarded at Commencement or during other special events—spotlight people who are exceptional in their respective fields and uphold Lasallian values. 

Compiled below, with help from University Archives, you can learn more about some of La Salle’s past honorary degree recipients:

1880 

The first honorary degrees La Salle awarded were to Maurice F. Egan, an American writer and diplomat, and John H. Grove, M.D. 

1935 

This year, the first elected official was recognized with former Pennsylvania Gov. George H. Earle, LL.D., D.C.L., receiving a Doctor of Laws degree.  

1940  

The first woman to receive an honorary degree was Alice O’Halloran, RN. 

1948 

Brother Athanase Emile, F.S.C., Superior General of the Institute of the Christian Brothers, received an honorary degree.  

1953 

In the early 1950s, La Salle awarded honorary degrees to business leader Henry Belin du Pont, vice president of du Pont de Nemours and Company. 

1958 

Before becoming president of the United States, U.S. Senator John F. Kennedy received an honorary degree from La Salle and spoke during the ceremony. 

1963 

La Salle awarded a variety of honorary degrees this year including to Brother Charles Henry, F.S.C., Assistant Superior General of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools.  

1964

Blake Hayman, ’41, M.D., HON ’64, was recognized. His namesake lives on today as Hayman Hall is named after this alumnus.

1965 

The American painter Andrew Wyeth was honored this year. 

1967 

Edmund Bacon, Philadelphia urban planner and architect, was honored this year. He is also actor Kevin Bacon’s father.  

1969 

La Salle President Brother Daniel Bernian, F.S.C., was honored at the end of his tenure with an honorary degree.  

1977 

Following his time as La Salle President, Brother Daniel Burke, F.S.C., Ph.D., received an honorary degree for “the example he has given as a man, a scholar-teacher, and community leader.”  

1980 

Brother Jose Pablo Basterrechea, F.S.C., Superior General of the Institute of the Brothers of the Christian Schools, was honored. 

1981 

Brother Gregory Paul, F.S.C., Ph.D., President emeritus of La Salle College was celebrated. 

1982 

Charles H. Fuller, Jr., known for his Pulitzer Prize-winning drama A Soldier’s Play, was honored.

1992 

Former La Salle President Brother Patrick Ellis, F.S.C., Ph.D., received an honorary degree this year.  

1993 

Actor Peter Boyle, ’57, known for playing Frank Barone on Everybody Loves Raymond, among other parts in television and film, was recognized.  

1997 

William J. Burns, ’78, was recognized. He is the current head of the CIA.  

1999 

Philadelphia Mayor Edward G. Rendell was honored. 

2001 

Brother Alvaro Rodriguez Echeverria, F.S.C., Superior General of the Institute of the Brothers of Christian Schools, received an honorary degree—as did William J. “Bill” Raftery, ’63, basketball commentator and analyst, and Gary C. Smith, ’75, Sports Illustrated senior writer, were also recognized.   

2004 

Brother Armin Altamirano Luistro, F.S.C., the current Superior General of the Christian Brothers, was the president of De La Salle University in Manila at the time he received an honorary degree. 

2006 

Matthew Quick, ’96, author of The Silver Linings Playbook and other novels, was recognized.  

2007 

Tom Curley, ’70, was the editor of La Salle’s school newspaper The Collegian while a student and went on to be the president of the Associated Press.  

2014 

Brother Michael McGinniss, FSC, Ph.D., ’70, received an honorary degree years after his presidency. Chris Matthews, host of MSNBC’s Hardball, was another honoree this year.  

2015 

Brother Robert I. Schieler, FSC, Ed.D., ’72, a current Trustee, was serving as the third American Superior General of the Christian Brothers, when he was honored.  

2017 

Mike Sielski, ’97, a sports columnist for The Philadelphia Inquirer, was this year’s honoree.  

2018 

Marian Wright Edelman was recognized for being the founder and president of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF). She is the first Black woman admitted to the Mississippi Bar and directed the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund office in Jackson, Miss. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the Robert F. Kennedy Lifetime Achievement Award for her writings. 

2021 

Fran Dunphy, ’70, the current coach of La Salle’s men’s basketball team, spoke to 2020 graduates at Lincoln Financial Field as an honoree. The global pandemic prompted that year’s graduating students to celebrate a year later. Also, that year, Adam Schecter, ’86, a global business leader who became chief executive officer of Labcorp in 2019, and chairman in 2020. 

In October, at Honors Convocation, the University awarded an honorary degree to Most Reverend Nelson J. Perez, the Archbishop of Philadelphia.  

—Meg Ryan