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Honorary Degrees

The historic origins of the presentation of an honorary degree date to the 1470s, when the University of Oxford presented the first recorded honoris causa degree (Latin: "for the sake of the honour"). Ƶ has been presenting honorary degrees since 1986. It is one of the highest recognitions presented at the University.

Name Degree Month/Year Title and Company When Degree Was Conferred
Sean McBurney '03 Doctor of Business Administration June 2024 Regional President at Caesars Entertainment, Inc,

Paul Bascobert '87

Doctor of Business Administration June 2023 President of Reuters
Brady Ericson ’94 Doctor of Engineering June 2022 Vice President of BorgWarner Inc. and President and General Manager of Fuel Systems and Aftermarket
Latondra Newton ’91 Doctor of Management June 2018 Senior Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer of The Walt Disney Company
Sonia Syngal '93 Doctor of Management June 2017 Global President and CEO for Old Navy
Rodney O'Neal '76 Doctor of Engineering June 2015 Retired CEO, Delphi
David Kenny '84 Doctor of Management June 2014 The Weather Company
Robert C. Kagle '78 Doctor of Engineering June 2013 General Partner and Co-Founder Benchmark Capital
Senator Carl Levin Doctor of Humane Letters June 2011 Former United States Senator
Stanford R. Ovshinsky Doctor of Engineering December 2010 Deceased, Noted Inventor, scientist, and entrepreneur
Henry Juszkiewicz '76 Doctor of Management December 2009 Chairman and CEO of Gibson Guitar
Marissa T. Peterson '83 Doctor of Management July 2009 President and CEO, Mission Peak Executive Consulting
Michael M. Wood Doctor of Humane Letters June 2009 Former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden and Chair, Redwood Investments, LLC
Dr. Russell J. Ebeid '62 Doctor of Management July 2008 Former Chairman and President, Guardian Glass Group, Guardian Industries
David W. Hermance '70 Doctor of Engineering June 2008 Executive Engineer for Advanced Technology Vehicles, Toyota Technical Center, USA
Curtis R. Carlson Doctor of Science June 2008 Former President and CEO, SRI International
Gary L. Cowger '70 Doctor of Engineering December 2007 Chairman and CEO, GLC Ventures and Former Global Group Vice President, General Motors
Congressman, Dale E. Kildee Doctor of Humane Letters December 2007 Congressman, Democrat, representing 5th District in the State of Michigan
Joseph B. Anderson Doctor of Management June 2007 Chairman and CEO of Tag Holding Companies in Troy, MI
L. Brooks Patterson Doctor of Humane Letters December 2006 Oakland County Executive
Chester A. Huber '77 Doctor of Engineering June 2006 Former President and CEO, General Motors OnStar
Steve Wozniak Doctor of Engineering December 2005 Co-Founder of Apple Computer
Karl-Heinz Kammerlohr Doctor of Management June 2005 Director General of International Affairs, Baden-Wuerttemberg Ministry of Science, Research, and the Arts, Stuttgart, FRG
Paul J. Chiapparone Doctor of Management June 2005 Former Vice Chairman, Electronic Data Systems
E. Michael Mutchler '57 Doctor of Engineering December 2004 Former Vice President, General Motors Corporation
Charles L. Sargent '59 Doctor of Engineering December 2004 Former President, Quality Boat Lifts and Former Co-Founder and CEO, Thetford Corporation
John M. Samuels '66 Doctor of Engineering June 2004 Retired Senior Vice President, Norfolk Southern Corporation
Donald B. Chaffin '61 Doctor of Engineering December 2003 Richard G. Snyder Distinguished University Professor Emeritus, Industrial and Operations Engineering and Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering, The University of Michigan
Robert A. Lutz Doctor of Management June 2003 Automotive Executive
Stan O'Neal '74 Doctor of Management December 2002 Former Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board, Merrill Lynch
Edward J. Neithercut Doctor of Humane Letters December 2002 Retired, Local Flint Attorney - Neithercut Law Firm
MaliVai Washington Doctor of Management June 2002 Professional Athlete and ESPN Sports Analyst and Founder, MaliVali Washington Kids Foundation
Ivan A. Deveson '59 Doctor of Management June 2002 100th Lord Mayor of Melbourne, Australia
Omer E. Miller '39 Doctor of Humane Letters April 2002 Former President, Porta-Soft
Dean Kamen Doctor of Engineering December 2001 Founder, FIRST Robotics and Inventor of the Segway
Charles L. Schaffer Doctor of Management June 2001 Former Chief Operating Officer, UPS
Avery Aldridge Doctor of Humane Letters December 2000 Founder, Foss Avenue Baptist Church in Flint, MI
Albert J. Koegel Doctor of Management December 2000 Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, and Treasurer, Koegel Meat Company
Stephen N. McEwen '54 Doctor of Engineering June 2000 Retired President and CEO, Henry Filters
David Bing Doctor of Management June 2000 Retired Hall of Fame Basketball Player and Former Mayor of Detroit, MI
Donald J. Almquist '55 Doctor of Engineering December 1999 Retired Chairman, President, and CEO, Delco Electronics
Joanne Shaw Doctor of Management December 1999 Chief Executive Officer, Coffee Beanery
Alexander C. Mair '43 Doctor of Engineering June 1999 Former Group Executive, General Motors Technical Staff and General Manager, Pontiac and GMC Divisions
Charles Weeks Doctor of Management June 1999 Former President and Chief Executive Officer, Citizens Banking Corporations
Curtis E. Moll Doctor of Management December 1998 Chairman and CEO, MTD Products
John H. McConnell Doctor of Management December 1998 Founder and Chairman Emeritus, Worthington Industries
Klaus von Trotha Doctor of Humane Letters June 1998 Minister of Science, Arts, Research Baden-Wurttemberg, Stuttgart, FRG
John F. Smith, Jr. Doctor of Management June 1998 Chairman of the Board, President and CEO, General Motors Corporation
Frank Stronach Doctor of Management December 1997 Founder of Manga International
Albert James Sobey '45 Doctor of Engineering December 1997 President, Albert Sobey & Associates
Benjamin Carson Doctor of Humane Letters June 1997 Retired Neurosurgeon, Author, and Republican Politician
Carol Bartz Doctor of Management June 1997 Former President and CEO of Yahoo! and Former Chairman, President, and CEO of Autodesk
William S. White Doctor of Humane Letters December 1996 Chairman and CEO, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Frederick G. Wacker '42 Doctor of Engineering June 1996 Former Chairman of the Board, Liquid Controls Corporation
Martin D. Walker '54 Doctor of Management June 1996 Retired Chairman and CEO, M.A. Hanna Company
Donald E. Johnson, Jr. Doctor of Humane Letters June 1996 Retired, Chairman, Citizens Bank in Flint, MI
David C. Collier Doctor of Management December 1995 Retired CEO, Operating Staffs, General Motors
Warren J. McEleney '44 Doctor of Management June 1995 Former President of the National Automobile Dealers Association and President, McEleney Motors
Edward N. Harris Doctor of Humane Letters June 1998 Retired President, Gulf + Western
Arthur L. Tuuri, M.D. Doctor of Humane Letters December 1994 Former Pediatrician, Mott Children’s Health Center
Mylon Eugene Merchant Doctor of Engineering December 1994 Manufacturing Pioneer
Mrs. Zelpha McKinnon Doctor of Humane Letters December 1994 Philanthropist, Flint, MI
Mrs. Virginia W. Kettering Doctor of Humane Letters September 1994 Philanthropist, Dayton, Ohio
Robert E. Reiss '60 Doctor of Engineering June 1994 Biomedical Engineering Pioneer
Scott McNealy Doctor of Engineering June 1994 Co-Founder, Sun Microsystems
Donald R. Beall Doctor of Engineering June 1994 Retired Chairman and CEO, Rockwell International
Kent Nelson Doctor of Management June 1993 Retired Chairman and CEO, United Parcel Service (UPS)
E. Douglas Hougen Doctor of Engineering June 1993 Inventor, Author, and President, Hougen Manufacturing
Lester M. Alberthal, Jr. Doctor of Management June 1993 Retired Chairman and CEO, Electronic Data Systems (EDS)
Clifton R. Wharton, Jr. Doctor of Management June 1992 Former President of Michigan State University; Former Chancellor of the State University of New York system; 11th United States Deputy Secretary of State, and Former CEO of TIAA-CREF
Mrs. C. S. (Ruth) Mott Doctor of Humane Letters June 1992 Philanthropist, Flint, MI
Joseph T. Gorman Doctor of Management June 1992 Former Chairman and CEO, TRW
Milford Barron '37 Doctor of Engineering June 1991 Founder, Precision Instruments
Frances Hesselbein Doctor of Management June 1990 President and CEO, Frances Hesselbein Leadership Institute and Former CEO, Girl Scouts of the USA
Richard Terrell Doctor of Management June 1989 Former Vice Chairman, General Motors
Jaime Escalante Doctor of Humanities June 1989 Former Mathematics Educator
Elliott M. (Pete) Estes '38 Doctor of Engineering (Awarded Posthumously) June 1988 Former President, General Motors
Hermann Scholl Doctor of Engineering June 1988 Honorary Chairman, Bosch Group
F. James McDonald '44 Doctor of Engineering June 1988 Former President, General Motors
Martha R. Seger Doctor of Management June 1988 Former Member of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System
Donald Ephlin Doctor of Humanities June 1988 Former United Autoworkers Official
Paul F. Oreffice Doctor of Management June 1987 Former President and CEO, Dow Chemical Company
Hans A. Matthias Doctor of Engineering June 1987 Former Vice President, Ford Motor Company
Roger Bonham Smith Doctor of Management June 1986

Former Chairman, General Motors