Honorary Degrees

Virginia Wesleyan's honorary degree recipients

Virginia Wesleyan awarded its first honorary degrees on May 18, 2002 at the 33rd Commencement Ceremony. The University awards the following types of honorary degrees:

Doctor of Arts (honoris causa)
First awarded in 1968, this degree is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves in the arts.

Doctor of Divinity (honoris causa)
First awarded in 1786, this degree is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves in endeavors related to religion.

Doctor of Laws (honoris causa)
First awarded in 1773, this degree is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves in general service to state, to learning and to mankind.

Doctor of Science (honoris causa)
First awarded in 1884, this degree is awarded to individuals who have made distinguished contributions and performed services in the sciences.

Doctor of Humane Letters (honoris causa)
First awarded in the 1880s, this degree is awarded to individuals who have distinguished themselves in the humanities.

Past honorary degree recipients at Virginia Wesleyan University:

  • Hilary Harp Falk H'23 (Doctor of Science)
  • Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson H'23 (Doctor of Divinity)
  • Robert "Bobby" Scott H'22 (Doctor of Laws)
  • James V. Koch H'22 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • S. Bernard Goodwyn H'22 (Doctor of Laws)
  • John F. Malbon H'22 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Susan S. Goode H'22 (Doctor of Arts)
  • Timothy Carter, Ph.D. H'21 (Doctor of Science)
  • Richard Ekman, Ph.D. H'21 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Susan Torma Beverly, Ph.D. ’72 H'21 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • David R. Black, Ph.D. H'21 (Doctor of Divinity)
  • William C. Baker H'20 (Doctor of Science)
  • Rev. James Noseworthy H'20 (Doctor of Divinity)
  • G. Robert Aston, Jr. H'20 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • David Kaufman H'19 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Elaine Luria H'19 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Pamela Northam H'18 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Rev. Karla Kincannon '76, H'18 (Doctor of Divinity)
  • David R. Goode H'17 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones '80, H'17 (Doctor of Divinity)
  • Gary D. Bonnewell '79, H'16 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Stephen S. Mansfield, Ph.D. H'16 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Carrie Hessler-Radelet H'16 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • George Y. Birdsong H'16 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Terrence Jones H'13 (Doctor of Arts)
  • Maurice A. Jones H'12 (Doctor of Laws)
  • David L. Warren, Ph.D. H'11 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Edward E. Brickell H'10 (Doctor of Laws)
  • James R. Bergdoll H'10 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Joan Perry Brock H'10 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Cathy Lewis H'09 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Robert Friend Boyd H'09 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Rev. Kenneth C. Horne, Jr., Ph.D. H'09 (Doctor of Divinity)
  • Irwin Belk H'08 (Doctor of Laws)
  • JoAnn Falletta H'08 (Doctor of Arts)
  • Richard D. Roberts H'08 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Stephen L. Johnson H'08 (Doctor of Science)
  • D. Henry Watts, Ph.D. H'07 (Doctor of Laws)
  • R. James Woolsey H'07(Doctor of Laws)
  • Jane P. Batten H'06 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Gerald L. Baliles, Ph.D. H'06 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Charles A. Kimball, Ph.D. H'05 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Millard Fuller H'04 (Doctor of Laws)
  • William M. Wilson, Ph.D. H'03 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • John W. Warner H'03 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Robert C. Nusbaum H'03 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Helen C. Hoffman H'03 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Jerry G. Bray, Jr. H'02 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Kenneth R. Perry H'02 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Aubrey E. "Gene" Loving, Jr. H'02 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Henry Clay Hofheimer II H'02 (Doctor of Laws)
  • Cam L. Garner '72, H'02 (Doctor of Science)
  • Lambuth M. Clarke H'02 (Doctor of Humane Letters)
  • Frank Batten H'02 (Doctor of Humane Letters)