Honorary Degree Recipients and Commencement Speakers

References used to create this list were the college bulletins and catalogs, scripts from the graduation ceremonies and press reports describing the events. 

Additions and corrections are always appreciated

1920    1930    1940    1950    1960    1970    1980    1990    2000

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1909-   Rev. J.J. Bloomer (Elmira) LL.D.

        Rev. John Costello (PA) LL.D.

        Rev. R.J. Johnson (MA) LL. D.

        Rev. Richard Coyle (Jamestown) LL.D.

        Rev. Wm. F. Dwyer (Erie) LL.D.

        Very Rev. Dean Hamel (Olean) LL.D.

        Rev. J.J. Chittick (MA) LL.D.

        Rev. P.H. Gallen (MA)     LL.D.

        Rev. T.M. Crowley (CT) LL.D.

        Rev. M.A. Sullivan (CT) LL.D.

        Rev. J. T. Walsh (MO) LL.D.

        Rev. F. F. Shea (PA) LL.D.

        Rev. M. W. Barry (CT) LL.D.

        Rev. John F. Neale (CT) LL.D.

        Hon. R.J. Bourke (PA) LL.D.

        Hon. John F. Murtaugh (Elmira) LL.D.  

1911-    Rev. Thomas J. Finn

        Rt. Rev. Msgr. Michael M. Meagher

1913-   Rt. Rev. Mgr. Bernard McGivney (Du Bois) LL.D.

        Rev. Peter Cauley (Erie) LL.D.

        Rev John Moylan (PA)LL.D.

        Rev. Thomas J. Walsh (Buffalo) LL.D.

        Rev. John J. B. Feeley (PA) LL.D.

        Rev. Joseph Zubricki (PA) LL.D.

        Rev. John A. Enright (PA) LL.D.

        Rev. Francis J. Bender (Erie) LL.D.

1914-   Rt. Rev. John J. Garland (IA) LL.D.

        Rev. James P. McCloskey (OH) LL.D.

        Rev. Patrick J. Murphy (PA) LL.D.

        Hon. Joseph Scott (CA) LL.D.

        James E. Culbert, M.D. (Buffalo) LL.D.  

1916-    Rev. Thomas P. Lynch

1917-    Rev. Anthony J. Collins

        Rt. Rev. Msgr. David F. Hickey

        Hon. John Moore

1918-   Rev. John B. McCloskey  (NJ)LL.D.

        Rev. John J. McMahon (Buffalo) LL.D.

        Rev. John J. Sheridan (Syracuse) LL.D.

        Very Rev. Francis J. Tief (MO) LL.D.   

1919-   Rt. Rev. Msgr. Ambrose F. Roche, (MA) LL.D.

        Rev. John E. Casey (Clyde) LL.D.

        Rev. James H. Conlin (Erie) LL.D.

        Col. Henry J. Goldman     (US Army) LL.D.

1921-   Hon. Frank E. Baldwin (PA) LL.D. 

        Frank L. Bartlett. (Olean) LL.D. 

        Hon. Henry J. Ryan (IN) LL.D.

        Rev. Robert E. Walsh (Salamanca) LL.D.

1923-    Rev. Thomas Cosgrove, OFM

        Thomas M. Finn

        Rev. Matthew Fox

        Rev. Gabriel Nangle, OFM

        Very Rev. Fidelis Reynolds, OFM

        Very Rev. Andrew Slattery, OFM

        Rev. Francis Walsh, OFM

1924-   Rev. Charles E. McEvoy (Syracuse) Doctor of Letters

        John Armstrong (Olean) Doctor of Letters  

        Henry J. Carroll

1925-   Rev. James Griffin  (Corning) LL.D.

        V. Rev. Sixtus Lagorio, ofm Litt.D.

        Hon. Vincent B. Murphy (NY Comptroller) LL.D.

        Sen. James J. Walker (Alum Dinner) LL.D.  

        Rev. William C. McCaughan

1926-   Walter H. Coyle  (NYC) LL.D.

        Hon. Wm E. Dever LL.D.

        Frank J. Goldman (NYC) LL.D.

        Rev. Cornelius J. Killeen (Niag Falls) LL.D.

        Thomas F. McMahon   (Allegany) LL.D.  

        Patrick E. Crowley

1927-   Nicholas E. Devereux, Jr.(Utica) LL.D.

        Rev. Francis A. Garvey (NY) Litt.D.

        Rev. Felix Kirsch, ofm cap Litt.D.

        Rev. Frederick J. Murphy  (CT) LL.D.  

        Rev. Alphonsus Duff

        Hon. James J. Walker

1928-   Bro. Eugene Dunne, OSF (NY) Litt.D.

        Rev. Joseph E. Grady (Rochester) Litt.D.

        William Hanley   (Bradford, PA) LL.D.

        Francis K. Kernan (Utica) LL.D.

        Rev. John J. McCabe  (PA) LL.D.  

        Rt. Rev. John J. McMahon (NY)

 Oct 4  Hon. James J. Davis (Sec. Labor)LL.D.

        James A. Farrell  (US Steel) LL.D.

1929-   Hon. Fred M. Ahern  (Brooklyn) LL.D.

        Rev. John P. Boland  (Buffalo) LL.D.

        Rev. James A. Broderick (CT) LL.D.

        Dr. Wm. J. Gatti (PA) LL.D.

        Rev. Anthony de, O.M. Cap. Litt.D.  

        Rev. Anthony de Castillo, OM Cap.  (PR)

 Oct.   Bishop John F. O'Hern (Rochester)

1930-   Rev. Eugene P. Caulfield (PA)LL.D.

        Hon. Thomas J. Dowd    (Salamanca) LL.D.

        Rev. Zepheryn Engelhardt, ofm (CA) LL.D.

        Rev. Patrick MacAran  (Turner, NY) LL.D.

        Charles L. McMahon (Bradford,PA) LL.D.  

        James Anson McLaughlin (NY)

        Very Rev. John Baptist Roser, OFM

1931-   Rev. Raphael Adams (St. Joseph's Seraphic) Litt.D.

        Rev. Msgr. Joseph A. Delaney  (Albany) LL.D.

        Rev. Louis Edelman  (Rochester)

        Rev. Bernard Haille, ofm  (NM) Litt.D.

        Thomas H. Hanrahan LL.D.

        Rev. Ephrem Longpre  (Italy) Litt.D.

        Rev. John E. Napier  (Nazareth Coll.)

        Rev. Stanislaus Waywood, ofm  (HNC) LL.D.

1932-   John B. Kennedy  (Colliers) Litt.D.

        Fr. Bede Hess, LL.D.

        Rev. Gerald McMinn, ofm  (Ph.D)

        Rev. Msgr. James H. Ryan, LL.D.

        Rev. Thos. B. Downey, LL.D.

        Dr. Ford Moore Summerville, LL.D.  

        Rev. Robert J. Fitzgerald

1933-   Donald C. Manning (Industry, NY) Litt.D.

        Rev. Felix J. O'Neill, Litt.D.

        Rev. Thomas Petrie, Litt.D.

        Fr. James Keating  

        Rev. Michael Harding, OFM

1934-   Alva Bradley (Cleveland Indians) LL.D.

        William R. Boyd, Jr. (Amer. Petroleum Inst) LL.D.

        Rev. John M. Gannon (Erie) LL.D.

        Gov. Herbert Lehman, LL.D.

        Michael Davitt Fox, Litt.D.

        Gratton Thomas Stanford, LL.D.

1935-   Dr. Frank P. Graves  (Comm. of Education) LL.D.

        David C. Adie, LL.D.

        Rev. Mathias Faust, LL.D.

        Rev. Msgr. Matthew Creamer (NH) LL.D.

        Rev. Msgr. John A. Wynne  (Brooklyn) LL.D.

        Charles G. Duffy  (Buffalo) LL.D.

        Bishop William Turner, LL.D.

1936-   Rev. Richard T. Carroll (CT) LL.D.

        Mr. Vincent C. Dwyer, Master of Letters

        Sir Martin T. Manton, LL.D.

        Rev. Mother Dominica Enright, OSF (St. Eliz) Litt.D.  

        William F. Moore (NJ)

1937-   Jeremiah J. Alcock (Brooklyn) Master of Letters

        James P. Keating (CT) LL.D.

        Franklin Dunham (Brooklyn) Litt.D.

        Rev. John A. Duffy (Buffalo) LL.D.  

        Very Rev. Augustino Gemelli, OFM (Italy)

1938-   Lowell Thomas (NY) Litt.D.

        J. Ray McAuliffe, LL.D.

        Rev. Anthony Wiersbinski, LL.D.

1939-   Rev. James K. Bennett (Rome) Master of Letters

        Rev. Fulton J. Sheen (Washington) LL.D.

        Rev. Patrick J. Boland (PA) LL.D.

        Samuel Eppolito (Granville, NY) Master of Letters

        Rev. Richard J. Carroll

        Frank Murphy (US Attorney Gen.) LL.D.

1940-   Arthur J. Bedell (Albany) LL.D.

        Joseph Franks (PA)-Master of Letters

        Rev. Gerald McMinn, ofm

        Rev. Victor Mills, OFM, Litt.D.

        Dr. Thomas Parron, LL.D.

        Rev. Msgr. Eugene Vallely, LL.D.

        Joseph E. Simpson-Masters  

        Hon. Frank Murphy (DC)

1941-   Rev. Mother Jean Marie, OSF (Superior General) Litt.D.

        Rev. John E. O'Connor, LL.D.

        Louis Kennedy, Litt.D.

        Rev. James P. Sweeney, LL.D.

        Rev. Francis A. O'Malley, LL.D.  

        Joseph Franks

1942-   Rev. John F. Baldwin, LL.D.

        Donald T. McNeil, Litt.D.

        Maj. Gen. James Ulio, LL.D.

        Rev. Francis Howard, LL.D.  

        Most Rev. Blaise S. Kurz

8/14    Fr. Edward Flanagan  (Boys Town)

1943-    Adm. Patrick Bellinger, LL.D.

         John P. Costello (NY)Litt.D.

         Rev. Msgr Joseph E. Maguire, LL.D.

1944-    Rev. Msgr. Leo J. Toomey (Buffalo)LL.D.

         Fr. Edward J. Fischer, LL.D.

         Hendrik Van Der Horst (Olean) Doctor of Science

 Mar '44 Col. J.B. Grier (ASTU)

1945-    Rev. Msgr. Peter Adamski (Buffalo) LL.D.

         Rev. Thomas Borgmeier, ofm (Brazil) Doctor of Science

         Judge George A. Larkin, LL.D.

         Rt. Rev. Msgr. Julius E. Dillon, LL.D.  

        Hendrix Van der Horst (NY)

 8/14    Bishop John O'Hara (summer)

1946-    Thomas E. Hanley (Bradford) LL.D.

         J. Eugene McMahon (Buffalo) LL.D.

         Rev. Msgr. Magnus A.Schumacher (IL) Litt.D.

         Dr. Thomas F. O'Connor, Litt.D.

 8/14    Bishop Joseph Burke (summer)

1947-    Rev. Msgr. Joseph B. McIntyre (NJ) LL.D.

         Rev. William T. Shean (SD)(in absentia) LL.D.

         Frank E. Gannett, LL.D.

         W. Cecil Davis, (Bolivar HS) Address, Litt.D.

         Dr. Kevin Burns, Doctor of Science

1948-    Fred W. Forness, Jr., (Olean) LL.D.

         Rt. Rev. Msgr. Dennis J. Kane (PA) LL.D.

         Charles Tobin, (Albany) LL.D.

         Dr. Donald C. O'Connor, Doctor of Science

 8/8     Mother Mary Alice Henry (NYC) Doctor of Science

         Rev. Bartholomew J. Eustace (NJ) LL.D.

1949-    Charles Allen, Jr. (NYC) LL.D.

         Leslie W. Devereux (Whitesboro, NY) LL.D.

         Harold J. Tormey (Olean) Doctor of Science

         Daniel Reed (Dunkirk) LL.D.

         Rev. Edward T. McManaman (Erie) LL.D.

         Dr. Edward F. Mooney (Albany) Doctor of Humane Letters  

        Jacob Holtzmann

 8/7     Dr. Egan Plager (Siena) (Summer) LL.D.

         Rev. Msgr. James M. Powers (PA) (Summer) LL.D.

         Mother M. Ignace Holtus (Netherlands) Litt.D.

 Top

1950-    Rev. Msgr. James Hopkins (PA) LL.D.

         Mary T. Norton (NJ) LL.D.

         William T. Powers (US Supreme Court) LL.D.

         Rev. James E. Kearney (Rochester) LL.D.

         Dr. Earl McGrath (Columbia U.) Address, LL.D.

Charter Day- October 1950

          George Sokolsky (Columnist) (Charter Day 10/50)

        Gov. Thomas E. Dewey (NY)

         Bishop Patrick J. McCormick (Washington)

         Rev. Eric O'Brien, OFM (NM)

         Arch Bish. Amleto Giovanni Cicognani (Italy)

1951-    Rev. Msgr. Gerald Dugan (PA) LL.D.

         Peter Campbell Brown (NYC) LL.D.

         Howard M. Holtzmann (NYC) Litt.D.

         Rev. Bryan McEntegart (NY) LL.D.

         Rev. Msgr. James F. Murphy (PA) LL.D.

1952-    Clifford Laube (NYC) Litt.D.

         Rev. Msgr. Eugene Loftus (Buffalo) LL.D.

        Dr. Carroll Newson (NJ) (State Dept. of Education) Doctor of Humane Letters

         Rev. Blaise Sigebald Kurtz, ofm

         Dr. Leo Simpson (Rochester) Doctor of Science  

        Most Rev. Blaise S. Kurz, OFM

1953-    His Em. Richard Cardinal Cushing (MA) LL.D.

         Maj. Gen. Hugh Milton II (NM)

         Alwin F. Franz (NYC)

         His Ex. Joseph Felix de Lequerica (Spanish ambassador)

         Paul Harvey (Newscaster) Litt.D.

?        George Knaysi (Cornell)

1954-    Maurice Leahy (NYC) Litt.D.

         Rev. Daniel Ivancho (PA) LL.D.

         Dr. Julius Sendry (MD) Doctor of Science

         Mary Hannigan (Olean) Doctor of Pedagogy

4/1954   Rev. Augustine Sepinski, OFM (Minister-General) LL.D.

7/14/54  Rev. Joseph Attipetty (India) LL.D.

1955-    Dr. Lewis A. Wilson (Commissioner of Education-Albany) Doctor of Humane Letters

         Rev. Thomas A. Boland (NJ) LL.D. Commencement Address

         Dr. Winfred Overholser (Washington, DC) Doctor of Humane Letters

?         Rev. Edmund Christy, ofm (NYC)

         Rev. Celsus Wheeler, ofm (NYC) LL.D.

Oct 4    Rev. Eligius Buytaert,ofm   (Lector Generalis-FI)

 ?       Rev. Basilio Rower, ofm

1956-    Miss Eva Jeany Ross (DC) D. Litt.

         Rev. Eustace Smith, OFM (Lebanon)

         Rev. Matthew Brady

Aug 12   Dr. Frank McCarthy, Jr. (CA) Doctor of Science

        Richard Reid

         Dr. Edward Strecker

1957-    William F. Johnson (NJ) LL.D.

         Rev. Patrick A. O'Boyle (DC) LL.D.

         Helen Walker Homan, Litt.D.

        Alfred A. Stein, LL.D. (unable to receive degree due to illness)

11/11   John F. Brosnan (NY)

10/24   Philip Lauinger (OK) Doctor of Science

10/04   His Em. Francis Cardinal Spellman (NYC)

1958-   Rev. John E. McBride, ofm (South Africa) LL.D.

        Howard C. Herger (PA) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Hugh A. Grant (Bradford,PA) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Rev. Msgr. Richard J. Schumacher (MO) LL.D.

        Hon. Edward J. Daly (CT) LL.D.

        F. Ramsey Devereux (Utica) Doctor of Pedagogy

        John S. Burke (B. Altman & Co-NY) Litt.D.

  5/9   John B. O'Connor (Dresser-Bus Symp) Doctor of Commercial Science

  5/14  Jim Bishop (Columnist) Press Day, Litt.D.

1959    Brig. Gen. S.L.A. Marshall, LL.D.

        Anthony Nemetz (OH) Doctor of Humane Letters

        Samuel F. Pryor (NYC) Doctor of Commercial Science, Address

  ?     Rev. John J. Wright (PA)  

        Rt. Rev. Msgr. Stephen A. Ward

  3/07  John Charles Daly (NYC)  Press Day

  3/08  Most Rev. James Schuck, ofm (Brazil)

 Top

1960-   Rev. Sebastian Miklas, OFM, Cap (DC) Litt.D.

        Lt. Gov. Malcolm Wilson (NY) LL.D.

        Walter Romig (MI) Doctor of Humane Letters

        John L. Latimer (TX-Dresser) Doctor of Science

        Llewellyn Scott (DC) LL.D.

        Rev. Msgr. Stephen A. Ward (PA) Litt.D.

1961-   Rev. Msgr. Wm. J. Baldwin (CT) Doctor of Humane Letters

        Hon. James A. Farley (Coca Cola-NYC) LL.D.

        Francis W. Laverty (TX-Dresser) Doctor of Commercial Sciences

1962-   Martin F. O'Donoghue (DC) LL.D.

        Mother Joan Marie Wheeler, OSF (Allegany) Doctor of Pedagogy

1963-   James D. Twiname (NYC) Doctor of Humane Letters

        Dr. Pedro Theotonio Pereira (DC-Amb. Portugal) LL.D.

        Rev. James A. McNulty (Buffalo) Litt.D.

        Samuel J. Lasser (Jamestown) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Alfred H. Kirchhofer (Buffalo) Litt.D.

        Edward Cain (CT) Doctor of Commercial Science

1964-   Sen. Thomas J. Dodd, (DC) Litt.D.

  10/25  Marvin C. Whatmore (NYC)

 10/25  Juan Card. Landazuri Ricketts, OFM (Peru)

1965-   Donald H. McGannon (NYC) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Henry A. Satterwhite (Bradford, PA) Doctor of Commercial Science

1966-   Sr. Ann Bartholomew Grady S.N.D. (MA) Doctor of Pedagogy

        Most Rev. Stanislaus J. Brzana (Buffalo) LL.D.

        Hon. Robert C. Wood (DC) Litt.D.

  6/06  Hon. John F. Henning (DC)

 11/01  Rev. John Moorman DD (England)

 10/09  Most Rev. Constantine Koser, OFM

1967-   Douglas Edwards, Litt.D., Address

        Frank Higgins (Olean) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Kate Smith, Doctor of Humane Letters  

        Dr. Thomas A. Coleman

1968-   Pierre R. Bretey (NYC) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Rev. Walter J. Burghardt, SJ (DC) Litt.D.

        Bro. Cajetan Baumann, OFM, Doctor of Humane Letters

        Dr. Finla Crawford (Syracuse) LL.D.  

        Aloys L. Ruppel

        William E. Simkin

1969-   Dr. John H. Finley, Jr. (NH) Doctor of Humane Letters

        Hon. Charles E. Goodell (Jamestown) LL.D.

        Fr. Irenaeus Herscher, OFM (SBU) Litt.D.

        Dr. Frank McCarthy, Doctor of Science

Top

1970-   Paul Horgan (CT) Litt.D.

        William F. Walsh (Syracuse) Doctor of Civil Law

        Hon. Dean Rusk (GA) LL.D., Address

        John P. Maguire (MO) LL.D.

1971-   Thomas A. Coleman (NY) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Bob Hope (CA) LL.D.

        Dolores Hope (CA) Doctor of Humane Letters

        Rev. Alexander F. Kerrigan, OFM, Litt.D.

1972-   Dr. Robert J. Coffey  (DC) Doctor of Science

        Raymond T. Ryan (AZ) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Hon. Daniel P. Moynihan (DC) LL.D., Address

         Skinner, Cornelia Otis, Doctor of Humane Letters

1973-   Arthur J. Rooney (PA) Doctor of Commercial Science

          Charles J. Ducey (CT) Litt.D.

Sept    William Doyle Ruckleshaus (DC) LL.D.

        Jill Ruckelshaus (DC) Doctor of Pedagogy

1974-   William F. Buckley, Jr. (NYC) Doctor of Humane Letters, Address

        E. Boyd Fitzpatrick (Olean) Litt.D.

        Helen M. Hannigan (Olean) Doctor of Pedagogy

 7/12   Rev. Ignatius Brady, ofm (Italy)

 7/12   Rev. Zachary Hayes, ofm (IL)

 7/12   Most Rev. Joseph Tawil (MA)

 7/12   Lawrence Cardinal Shehan (Baltimore)

1975-   Mason Hammond (MA) Doctor of Humane Letters

        Hon. Margaret M. Heckler, Litt.D.

        John C. Kopec, Doctor of Science

  7/15  His Em. George B. Cardinal Flahiff

  7/15  Rev. Edw. D. Head (Buffalo)

 10/04  Don Earl Carter (FL)

 10/04  Charles Bishop Kuralt (NYC)

1976-   Sr. Mary Charlotte Barton, GNSH (PA) Doctor of Pedagogy

        John V. James (TX-Dresser) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Charles Osgood, CBS, Doctor of Humane Letters, Address

        William Consedine, LL.D.

1977-   Rev. Joseph L Howze (MS) LL.D.

        Taylor Caldwell (CT) Litt.D., Address

        Gerald P. Murphy, Doctor of Humane Letters

1978-   Floyd R. Greco, Doctor of Commercial Science, Address

        Mary Healy Hayes (NV & CT) Doctor of Humane Letters

        Peter Lind Hayes (NV & CT) LL.D.

        Thomas E. McGrath (Rochester) Litt.D.

        John W. Mecom, Doctor of Commercial Science

1979-   Hon. Wm F.L. Bolger (DC) Litt.D.

        Hon. James J. Howard (DC) LL.D.

        Muriel Siebert (NYC) Doctor of Commercial Science, Address

        Ruby Keeler Lowe (CA) Doctor of Humane Letters

1980-   John F. McGillicuddy (NYC) Doctor of Commercial Science, Address

        Allen H. Neuharth (Rochester) Litt.D.

        Rev. John Vaughn, OFM (Italy) Doctor of Pedagogy

1981-   Reginald A. Lenna (Jamestown) Doctor of Commercial Science

        Dr. John Usher Monro (MS) Doctor of Humane Letters, Address

        Naomi Burton Stone (ME) Litt.D.

1982-   James L. Hayes (NYC) Doctor of Commercial Science, Address

        Rev. Reginald Redlon, ofm (NJ) Doctor of Humane Letters

&nbs