Honorary degrees, education’s most prestigious recognition, are reserved for eminent individuals with state, national, or international reputations. Recipients are typically leading scholars, discoverers, inventors, authors, artists, musicians, entrepreneurs, social activists, and leaders in education, business, politics, or government. Occasionally, honorary degrees are awarded to people who have rendered lifelong service to the university through board membership, volunteerism, or major financial contributions.
The list of 2025-2026 Honorary Doctoral Degree recipients will be published in late April.
Previous Honorary Doctoral Degree Recipients
- Emmett Lloyd Burnton
- Deborah Ann Harris
- Lyndel R. Manson
- Dr. Miguel Vasquez (posthumous)
- Efrain Casillas Jr.
- Christine Marie Farley
- Pamela D. Kehaly
- Paul J. Luna
- David P. Franke
- Bill Gates
- Arturo Massol-Deyá
- Ty White
- Dom Flemons
- Nancy R. Parra-Quinlan
- Colleen A. Smith
- Mickey S. Urdea
- Mary Jo Gregory
- Glenn Hamer
- Jay Heiler
- Richard Thomas Myers
- Jonathan Nez
- Phefelia Nez
- Timothy Snider
- Jeffrey Swann
- Sara Wyffels
- Lynette Stant
- Richard L. Boals
- Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma
- Kareem Neal
- Steve Sanghi
- William Michael Auberle
- Joshua C. Meibos
- W. Lowell Putnam
- Lynn Rae Valbuena
- Martin Casado
- Michelle Bugh Doherty
- LuAnn Leonard
- Claudio Sanchez
- David J. Mangelsdorf
- Christine Porter Marsh
- John-David Bowman
- Donald E. Brandt
- Elaine Grangaard Morrison
- Richard N. Morrison
- Amy Blavin
- Paul Blavin
- Dr. Rufus Glasper
- Jack Jewett
- Beth Maloney
- Richard P. Mike
- Judy Jolley Mohraz
- Mike Mohraz
- Kerry Blume
- Dr. Robert Glass Breunig
- Ernest Calderón
- Dr. Paul Keim
- Nancie Lindblom
- Dr. Jeffrey M. Trent
- Bruce Aiken
- Dr. Leah Bornstein
- Robin Rumble Braun
- William C. Harris
- Kristie Martorelli
- Zong Wa
- Amanda McAdams
- Ahmed A. Subaey
- William V. Bidwill
- Donald V. Budinger
- Robert Bulla
- Dr. Henry O. Hopper
- Bruce Nordstrom
- Marshall A. “Ski” Pieczentkowski
- Joy Weiss
- Steven R. Altman
- Sarah J. Baird
- Dr. Robert Millis
- J. Thomas Montfort
- John W. Murphy
- James C. Ramos
- William A. Franke
- Robert Kelty
- Sen. Tom O’Halleran
- Sen. John Wettaw
- Shirley Agnos
- Kristin Bourguet
- Hon. Joseph Donaldson
- Dr. Diana Gabaldon
- Dr. Clara Lovett
- Arthur Kenneth Gordon Carlson
- Harold L. Elliott
- Lucy Popson
- William J. Post
- Wayne Taylor Jr.
- Kimberly Babeu
- Gov. Janet Napolitano
- Joe Shirley Jr.
- James Turrell
- Sen. John McCain
- Kay McKay
- Don Murray
- Jane Robertson
- Sen. John Kyl
- Ralph and Doris Martin
- Rich Mayorga
- Ambassador John T. Sprott
- Nadine Mathis Basha
- Dr. Lattie F. Coor
- Maria Frontain
- Frances McAllister
- Dr. Beverly Hurley
- Dr. Delbert “Del” Lewis
- Jewell Lewis
- Dr. John Mulcahy
- Jay R. Vargas
- Hon. Christopher J. Bavasi
- Dr. Paul Elsner
- James Manley
- Hon. Ivan L. Sidney
- Ginny Kalish
- Clinton Pattea
- David Thompson
- John Soderberg
- Hon. Carolyn Warner
- Peggy Woods
- O. Mark DeMichele
- Dr. Eugene M. Hughes
- Katherine Chase
- David Johns
- Patricia Stowers
- William D. Berkeley
- Robert Campbell
- Esther N. Capin
- Rod Castillo
- Sen. Dennis DeConcini
- R. Carlos Nakai
- Donald Pitt
- William R. Shover
- Douglas J. Wall
- Margo Stone
- Dr. Karen Butterfield
- John E. Cook
- Mark Finley
- Hui Jin
- Chief Wilma Mankiller
- Jim L. Bond
- Carole L. Grosse
- Walter Snow
- Elizabeth Bradshaw
- Allan W. Ostar
- Hon. E. C. “Polly” Rosenbaum
- Yukio Yamamoto
- R. C. Gorman
- Dr. Bradford Luckingham
- Gov. Rose Mofford
- Dr. Rachel Moreno
- Carolyn Shoemaker
- Marilyn Kay Buehler
- Dr. Joseph V. Martinez
- Roger Wilson
- Kenneth Carpenter
- Cecil Lockhart-Smith
- Dr. Peggy Steffens
- Terri Fields
- Edward N. Basha Jr.
- Anthony J. Cosmano
- Eudice Shapiro
- Carobeth Laird
- Marguerite Hettel Weiss
- Russell E. Dickenson
- Dwight D. Patterson
- Keith L. Turley
- Richard S. Wilson
- Ralph M. Bilby
- Dr. Harold Masursky
- George B. Munroe
- Henry C. Giclas
- Joseph C. Rolle
- Dr. Lewis J. MacDonald
- Paul L. Singer
- Dr. Virgil W. Gillenwater
- Sen. Barry M. Goldwater
- Dr. John S. Hall
- Sherman Hazeltine
- Wilson C. Riles
- Lyndon L. Hargrave
- Myron D. Sutton
- Hon. Carl Hayden
- Melvin T. Hutchinson
- Hon. Raul H. Castro
- John G. Babbitt
- Platt Cline
- Dr. Eugene M. Shoemaker
- Lynn M. Laney
- John J. Ricca
- Samuel H. Morris
- Hon. Howard W. Cannon
- Dr. Charles W. Sechrist
- Robert Eunson
- Dr. Earl C. Slipher
- Dr. Clyde W. Tombaugh
- Charles B. Wilson Sr.
- Hon. Henry Fountain Ashurst
- Dr. Harold S. Colton
- Dr. Martin G. Fronske
- Dr. Edwin D. McKee
- Dr. Vesto Melvin Slipher