List of Binghamton University honorary degree recipients

This is a list of honorary degree recipients from Binghamton University in New York.

Name of recipient Year Note Edwin Link1981Inventor and father of simulation technology David de Wied 1981Discoverer of neuropeptides Charles Singleton1981Professor emeritus of humanistic studies, Johns Hopkins University Paul Oskar Kristeller 1982Professor of philosophy, Columbia University David Soyer, Arnold Steinhardt and Michael Tree1983Founding members of the Guarneri Quartet René Wellek 1983Sterling Professor Emeritus of Comparative Literature, Yale University Thomas G. Bergin 1984Sterling Professor Emeritus of Romance Languages, Yale University Abraham J. Briloff1984Professor of accounting and financial ethicist Helen Mary Caldicott1984Physician and activist Leroy "Slam" Stewart1984Jazz musician Kenneth Clark1985Psychologist Roald Hoffmann1985Theoretical chemist and 1981 Nobel Prize in Chemistry recipient Winfred Lehmann1985Ashbel Smith Professor of Linguistics and German Languages, University of Texas Eliezer Wiesel1985Andrew Mellon Professor in the Humanities, Boston University Morton Bloomfield1986Professor emeritus of English and American literature and language, Harvard University Stephen Jay Gould1986Evolutionary biologist and historian of science Paul D. Maclean (MD)1986Intramural research scientist, National Institute of Mental Health Josef Skvorecky1986Professor of English, University of Toronto Brian Urquhart1986Under-secretary of the United Nations Manfred Lachs1987Judge on the International Court of Justice Bernard Lewis1987Cleveland E. Dodge Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Princeton University John Hope Franklin1988Historian Alvin Liberman1988Speech psychologist Aryeh Neier1988Human rights activist and founder of Americas Watch Lewis Branscomb1989Professor, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University Majid Khadduri1989Distinguished research professor, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies Lofti Zadeh1989Professor of electrical engineering and computer sciences, University of California, Berkeley Byllye Avery1990Founder and director, National Black Women's Health Network Leszek Kolakowski1990Senior research fellow, All Souls' College, Oxford University Jacob Lawrence1990Professor of art, University of Washington Andrew Rutherford1990Warden, Goldsmiths' College, University of London Gunther Wilke1990Director, Max Planck Institute for Coal Research Jerome Frank1991Psychiatrist and psychologist, professor emeritus, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Niara Sudarkasa1991African-American anthropologist and educator Jack Kilby1992Nobel Laureate and co-inventor of the integrated circuit Johnnetta Cole1993President, Spelman College Deborah Tannen1993Linguist and author Andrew Bergman1994Film producer John Cairns1994University distinguished professor of environmental biology, director of University Center for Environmental Studies and Hazardous Materials Studies, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Mary Lowe Good1994Senior vice president for technology, Allied SIgnal, Inc. Matthew McHugh1994Counselor to the president, The World Bank William Julius Wilson1994Director and Lucy Flower University Professor of Sociology and Public Policy, University of Chicago, Center for the Study of Urban Inequity Ilya Prigogine1995Noble Laureate in chemistry Art Spiegelman1995Pulitzer Prize-winning graphic artist Chinua Achebe1996Author Shirley Chater1996Educator and administrator; Commissioner, Social Security Administration Willhelm Gispen1996Leading scholar on the functioning of the brain Donald Westlake1996Author of over 100 novels and non-fiction titles Linda Gordon1997Historian Maxine Greene1997Scholar and teacher in the philosophy and history of education, curriculum studies, teacher education and aesthetic education Walter Isard1997Economist and founder of the discipline of peace science Arnold Levine1997Molecular biologist and discoverer of tumor suppressant protein Israel Rosefsky1997Pediatrician and philanthropist Rodrigo Carazo1998Former president of United Nationals, established University of Peace Susan Clark-Johnson1998President/publisher, journalist, editor, Gannett C. Peter Magrath1998President of NASULGC, former president of Binghamton University, former University of Minnesota president George Olah1998Scholar, researcher in superacids and carbocation chemistry Robert W. Fogel1999Economic historian and early advocate of using quantitative methods in history Mary Francis Berry1999Former chair of the United States Commission on Civil Rights David Komansky1999Chairman of the board and COO of Merrill Lynch Pierce Fenner Smith Kurt Masur1999Music director, New York Philharmonic R. Nicholas Burns2000U.S. Ambassador to Greece Steve Kroft2000Television journalist Shari Lawrence Pfleeger2000President, Systems Software, Inc., founder of Howard University's Center for Research in Evaluating Software, alumna 1970 Paul Reiser2000Author, actor and comedian, alumnus 1977 Loretta Ford2001Founding dean and dean emeritus, University of Rochester, leader/pioneer in nurse practitioner model Stewart Paperin2001Former Executive vice president, Open Society Institute, alumnus 1968 and 1969 Robert Pinsky2001Poetry editor, 1997-2000 Poet Laureate Freeman Hrabowski III2002President, University of Maryland, African-American leader, nationally acclaimed educator Gary Kunis2002Former vice president and chief science officer for Cisco Systems, Inc Elmar Oliveira2002Classical violinist Kemal Guruz2003President, Turkish Council of Higher Education Dean Kamen2003Engineer, entrepreneur, inventor Alan MacDiarmid20032000 Novel Prize winner in chemistry, Blanchard Professor of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania Mark A. Zurack2003Former executive vice president, Goldman Sachs Sydney Pollack2003Author and film producer Edgar Bronfman2004President, World Jewish Congress, chairman of International Board of Governors for Hillel Eugene DeLoatch2004Dean of School of Engineering, Morgan State University, first African- American president of American Society for Engineering Charlene Kahlor Kramer2004Vice president of Corporate Letters Communications, Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), alumna 1973 Ezra Laderman2004President, American Music Center Ada Sue Hinshaw2005Founding director of the National Institute for Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), dean of School of Nursing, University of Michigan Evelyn Glennie2006Scottish percussionist and timpanist Erwin Goldberg2006Professor of biochemistry, molecular biology and cell biology, Northwestern University, alumnus 1956 Linda Greenhouse2006Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Allan Lyons2007Accountant, financier, educator and business leader J. David Singer2007Political scientist and educator Ronald Ehrenberg2008Irving M. Ives Professor of Industrial and Labor Relations and Economics, Cornell University, alumnus 1966 Richard Felder2008Hoechst Celanse Professor Emeritus of Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University Theodore Kooser2008Former U.S. Poet Laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner for poetry Raymond Osterhout2008Philanthropist, retired group vice president and underwriting and marketing manager, Swiss Reinsurance Corporation David Sedaris2008Author and humorist Geoffrey Canada2009Social welfare administrator, educator and writer Sandra Day O'Connor2009United States Supreme Court Justice Mario Paniccia2009Director, Photonics Technology Lab, Corporate Technology Group, Intel Corporation, alumnus 1988 Lawrence Schorr2009Attorney and philanthropist, alumnus 1975 and 1977 Ahmet Acar2010Rector/professor, Middle East Technical University, Turkey Steven Bloom2010Philanthropist, financial analyst, alumnus 1978 Terrence Keane2011Professor and vice chairman in psychiatry, Boston University, alumnus 1976 and 1979 David Orr2011Paul Sears Distinguished Professor and chair, environmental studies program at Oberlin College Owen C. Pell2011International litigator, alumnus 1980 James Carrigg2012Watson School founder and retired president, chairman and CEO of New York State Electric & Gas Steve Karmen2012Composer, musician, arranger, author Paul Turovsky2012Philanthropist, founding partner, True North Management Group, alumnus 1973 Mary Wakefield2012Administrator, Health Resources and Services Administration Marilyn Link2013Pioneering Pilot, educator, philanthropist and managing director of an oceanographic institute Voya Markovich2013Leading expert in advanced electronics packaging Nancy Wackstein2013Preeminent social worker and champion of the homeless and disadvantaged, alumnus 1973 George Whitesides2013Prolific and influential scientist in chemistry, materials science, physics and engineeringCarol C. Harter2014Academic administrator and English language editor, alumnus 1964Eric P. Schwartz2014Public policy scholar, public servant and international humanitarian and human rights expert, alumnus 1979Deborah Gray White2014Academian and influential historian of African-American and American women's history, alumnus 1971Horace Wood Gibson, Jr.2015Renaissance man and educatorJason Randolph Stanley2015Educator and philosopherTien Wu2015CEO and member of the board of Advanced Semiconductor Engineering, Inc.John R. Bartle2016Dean of the college of Public Affairs and Community Service, and professor of public administration, University of Omaha, NebraskaMarc D. Lawrence2016Screenwriter, producer, director, alumnus 1981Nathan Englander2017Award-winning author, playwright and translator, alumnus 1991Anthony I. Kornheiser2017Sports journalist and commentator, alumnus 1971Geraldine MacDonald2017Pioneer of internet communications, alumnus 1968Sergio Rapu Haoa2017Archeologist and cultural ambassador for Rapa Nui, ChileAli Çarkoğlu2018Educator, higher education administrator and political commentator, alumnus 1994Asunción "Sunny" C. Hostin2018Columnist, social commentator and multi-platform journalist, alumnus 1990Aaron Mair2018Founder of the environmental justice movement, alumnus 1984Balakrishna Gopalan Iyer2019Business leader and educator, alumnus 2000Patricia A. Saunders2019Humanitarian and student-athlete advocate, alumnus 1965Howard Unger2019Financial innovator and world peace advocate, alumnus 1982Robert H. Swan2022Leader of several online corporations, alumnus 1985Yasmin L. Hurd2024Studied neurobiology of substance use and associated disordersLee Ranaldo2024Musician who co-founded the band Sonic YouthAlexander S. Vindman2024Former colonel in the U.S. Army Govindasamy Viswanathan2024Founded the Vellore Institute of TechnologyAmy J. Hyatt2025Served for more than 30 years with the U.S. Department of State Foreign ServiceTyrone E. Muse2025President and Chief Executive Officer of Visions Federal Credit UnionMichael D. Timmeny 2025Former Senior Vice President of Cisco Systems Inc.Stuart F. Koenig 2025Senior Advisor at LeadCrest Capital Partners

External links Honorary Degree Recipients Binghamton University announces 2025 honorary degree recipients