Every year, thousands of Ohio University seniors receive their diplomas, while a few distinguished professionals are selected to receive one of their own.
The university awards honorary degrees to recognize individuals who have been successful in their respective careers. However, the process of bestowing this award is more complicated than printing off a certificate.
“It’s more like a lifetime achievement (award) than it is passing a set of exams or (writing) a thesis,” said Damian Nance, a distinguished professor of geology and member of OU’s honorary degree committee since 2011.
A committee approves nominations on a yearly basis to be submitted to the president’s office; the nominations are then passed along to OU’s Board of Trustees to vote on a final decision.
For this year’s commencement, keynote speaker Andy Alexander will be receiving an honorary Doctor of Communication degree. Other recipients at this year’s commencement ceremony will include Paul Schullery, who will receive an Honorary Doctor of Literature, and Thomas Meyer, who will receive an Honorary Doctor of Chemistry.
The committee is made up of four faculty members, one undergraduate student, one graduate student and two administrators, for a total of eight votes, according to the honorary degree committee’s web page.
Committee chair David Drabold said the number of degrees awarded per year averages about two to three, adding that there will be at least three nominations for 2013’s commencement.
Drabold’s son, Will Drabold, is a reporter for The Post.
“There’s a lot of confusion about what the honorary degree is,” Drabold said.
Anybody from the university community can nominate a person for an honorary degree. When the committee looks through nominations, they give preference to people of great achievement with a strong association with OU, Drabold added.
Nance said that along with recognizing the recipient’s achievements, OU establishes a valuable link between the university and the person through the degree awarding. Those who award the degrees want to make sure the recipients meet certain characteristics.
“The university wants to be cautious (because) they’re giving a doctorate,” Nance said. “It’s great to know that these people are out there and what they’ve achieved.”
Jennifer Kirksey, chief of staff to OU President Roderick McDavis, said awarding these degrees forms an “important connection for our university community.”
“I think it’s a wonderful element to our commencement ceremony when we’re lifting up the accomplishments of our graduates to be able to tie in others who have gone on (to succeed) in their field,” she added. “(It’s great to have that) one additional element of (the recipient) being able to share with them and applaud our students as they begin to embark on their own paths and pave their own way.”
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