Graduation Ceremony History

1890-1899

1892
Central Michigan University founded
June 21, 1893
Hon. Henry R. Pattengill, Superintendent of Public Instruction
1894
 
1895
 
July 2, 1896
Dr. Richard G. Boone
1897

June 16, 1898Prof. Martin D'Ooge of Ann Arbor
June 12, 1899Rev. Jean Frederick Lora, D. D.

1990-1909

June 8, 1900
(No speaker listed  on program)
June 11, 1901
Albert Leonard, PH. D., President Michigan System of Normal Schools
June 18, 1902
Hon. L. D. Harvey, Supt. Public Instruction, Wisconsin
June 25, 1903
Dr. A. E. Winship, Litt. D. Boston, Mass.
1904
 
1905

1906
 
December 20, 1907
(No speaker listed on program)
June 24, 1908
Hon. F. G. Blair, State Superintendent of Public instruction, Springfield, Illinois
1909
 

1910-1919

1910 
June 11, 1911
Hon. L. L. Wright, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
August 4, 1911
(No speaker listed on program)
August 2, 1912
President W. N. Ferris
1913
.
1914
 
1915

1916
 
June 20, 1917
Dr. Livingstone C. Lord, President Eastern Illinois State Normal School
August 3, 1917
Professor J. G. Carter Troop, New York City
March 22, 1918
President Charles T. Grawn
Remarks: Honorable Fred L. Keller, Superintendent of Public Instruction
June 19, 1918R. Perry Shorts, Central Michigan Normal, 1900
June 25, 1919Rev. G. G. Atkins, First Congregational Church, Detroit

1920-1929

March 26, 1920
Prof. Roy W. Hamilton, Alma College
June 23, 1920
James Schermerhorn, Detroit
August 6, 1920
Rev. Lloyd C. Douglas, First Congregational Church, Ann Arbor
March 24, 1921
Paul L. Voelker, Pres. Of Olivet College
December 15, 1921
Prof. John L. Brumm, University of Michigan
March 23, 1922
President J. W. Laird, Albion College
June 20, 1922
Charles T. Grawn, President Central Normal 1900-1918
December 14, 1922
Rev. Frederick Spence, Jackson
1923 
March 27, 1924
Rev. J. H. Green, Ionia
June 24, 1924
President E. B. Bryan, Ohio University
August 8, 1924
President Allan Hoben, Kalamazoo College
June 23, 1925
William McAndrew, Superintendent of Schools, Chicago
December 15, 1925
President H. M. Crooks, Alma College
March 25, 1926
Professor A. Eustace Haydon, University of Chicago
June 22, 1926
Rt. Rev. John N. McCormick, D.D., Bishop of Western Michigan
August 6, 1926
James Schermerhorn, Detroit
March 24, 1927
Prof. C. O. Davis, University of Michigan
June 20, 1927
Dr. Edward A. Steiner, Grinnell College
August 5, 1927
Dean H. C. Minnich, Miami University
December 13, 1927
Dr. Theodore G. Soares, University of Chicago
March 22, 1928
Dr. Herbert L. Willett, University of Chicago
June 18, 1928
William McAndrew
August 2, 1928
Prof. T. E. Rankin, University of Michigan
June 17, 1929
Dr. Thomas H. Reed, University of Michigan
August 1, 1929
Superintendent E. C. Hartwell, Buffalo, New York

1930-1939


March 27, 1930
Hon. Frank Cody, Superintendent of Schools, Detroit- Member of the State Board of Education
June 23, 1930
Dr. Ambrose L. Suhrie, Professor of Teachers College and Normal School Education,
New York University
August 7, 1930
President Walter P. Morgan, Western Illinois State Teachers College
December 16, 1930
Dr. E. A. Winship, Journal of Education, Boston
March 26, 1931
Mr. James Schermerhorn, Detroit
June 22, 1931
Dean Charles W. Gilkey, University of Chicago
August 6, 1931
President W. G. Spencer, Hillsdale College
December 15, 1931
 Dr. Earl Barnes
March 24, 1932
President E. C. Warriner
June 20, 1932
Dr. Charles C. Morrison, Editor, Christian Century
August 4, 1932
Dr. C. O. Davis, School of Education, University of Michigan
March 23, 1933
Rabbi Philip F. Waterman, Grand Rapids
June 19, 1933
Rollo Walter Brown, Cambridge, Massachusetts
August 2, 1933
Dr. Paul F. Voelker, State Superintendent of Public Instruction
December 15, 1933
President E. C. Warriner
March 22, 1934
Dr. Raleigh Schorling, School of Education, University of Michigan
June 19, 1934
Dr. Franklyn Snyder, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois
August 2, 1934
Professor Floyd E. Armstrong, Life 1912 Massachusetts Institute of Technology
December 14, 1934
(No speaker listed on program)
June 24, 1935
Honorable Royal S. Copeland, United States Senator from New York
August 8, 1935
Professor Calvin O. Davis, University of Michigan
December 13, 1935
(No speaker listed on program)
March 27, 1936
Reverend Dr. Frederick B. Fisher, Detroit
June 22, 1936
Dr. George E. Vincent, Educator, Author and First President of the Rockefeller Foundation
August 6, 1936
Dean J. B. Edmonson, School of Education, University of Michigan
December 11, 1936
(No speaker listed on program)
June 21, 1937
Dr. T. V. Smith, Professor of Philosophy at University of Chicago and a member of the
August 5, 1937
Honorable Wynand Wichers, President of Hope College and Member of the
State Board of Education
December 10, 1937
(No speaker listed on program)
March 24, 1938
(No speaker listed on program)
June 20, 1938
Honorable Francis L. Bailey, Commissioner of Education for the State of Vermont
(Central- Life, 1915)
August 4, 1938
(No speaker listed on program)
December 14, 1938
(No speaker listed on program)
June 1939
Dr. E. C. Lindeman, New York School of Social Work

1940-1949

June 1940
Dr. H. M. Gage, President, Coe College
June 1941
A. J. Brumbaugh, Dean, University of Chicago
June 1942
Grove Patterson, President and Editor, The Toledo Blade 
June 1943
Frank Cody, President Emeritus, Wayne University
June 1944
Louis K. Anspacher, Dramatist, Poet, Lecturer, New York
June 1945
Grant H. Brown, Lieutenant, USNR, Asst. Dir. of Training, 9th Naval District
June 1946
Harry F. Kelly, Governor of Michigan
June 1947
Dr. Kenneth Brown, President, Denison University
June 1948
Mr. John Tebbel
June 1949
Dean L. D. Haskew, University of Texas
June 1950
Dr. Arthur Rice, Editor, The Nation's Schools, Chicago
June 1951
Glenn O. Blough
June 1952
President Leslie Holmes, Northern Illinois State Teachers College, DeKalb
June 1953
Dr. James D. MacConnell, School of Education, Stanford Univ.
June 1954
Dr. Herold C. Hunt, Grad. School, Harvard Univ.
June 1955
Dr. John A. Hannah, President, Michigan State, East Lansing
June 1956
Leland I. Doan, President, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland
January  1957
President Robert D. Swanson, Alma College
June 1957
Delyte W. Morris, President, Southern Illinois University
January  1958
Victor F. Spathelf, President, Ferris Institute
June 1958
Samuel Miller Brownell, Supt. of Schools, Detroit
January 1959
Benjamin C. Willis, Supt. of Schools, Chicago
June 1959
Dr. Stephen Nisbet, Fremont, Michigan

1950-1959

June 1950
Dr. Arthur Rice, Editor, The Nation's Schools, Chicago
June 1951
Glenn O. Blough
June 1952
President Leslie Holmes, Northern Illinois State Teachers College, DeKalb
June 1953
Dr. James D. MacConnell, School of Education, Stanford Univ.
June 1954
Dr. Herold C. Hunt, Grad. School, Harvard Univ.
June 1955
Dr. John A. Hannah, President, Michigan State, East Lansing
June 1956
Leland I. Doan, President, The Dow Chemical Company, Midland
January  1957
President Robert D. Swanson, Alma College
June 1957
Delyte W. Morris, President, Southern Illinois University
January  1958
Victor F. Spathelf, President, Ferris Institute
June 1958
Samuel Miller Brownell, Supt. of Schools, Detroit
January 1959
Benjamin C. Willis, Supt. of Schools, Chicago
June 1959
Dr. Stephen Nisbet, Fremont, Michigan

1960-1969

January 1960
William W. Whitehouse, President, Albion College
June 1960
Robert P. Briggs, Ex-Vice Pres., Consumers Power, Jackson
January 1961
Dr. Edgar L. Harden, President, No. Michigan, Marquette
June 1961
Dr. Edgar L. Harden, President, No. Michigan, Marquette
January 1962
President Arthur L. Knoblauch, Western Illinois, Macomb
June 1962
Dr. Susan B. Riley, Dept. of Eng., George Peabody College for Teachers, Nashville, TN
January 1963
Carl A. Gerstacker, Dow Chemical Company, Midland
June 1963
Ramon Scruggs, AT&T, New York, NY
January 1964
John S. Diekhoff, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
June 1964
Anne Gary Pannell, Pres. Sweet Briar College
January 1965
Dana Rose, VP Bell Telephone Co. Detroit
June 1965
Noah Langdale, Pres., Georgia State College, Atlanta
January 1966
Rev. Reford Carr, Horshorn, Australia
June 1966
John Ciardi, Poetry Editor, "Saturday Review"
January 1967
Senator Robert P. Griffin, U. S. Senator
CEREMONY CANCELLED DUE TO SNOWSTORM
June 1967
Senator Robert P. Griffin, U. S. Senator
January 1968
John D. Millett, Chancellor, Ohio Board of Regents
June 1968
Mr. William G. Milliken, Lieutenant Governor of Michigan
January 1969
Stanley J. Idzerda, President, College of Saint Benedict
June 1969
James L. Farmer, Asst. Sec. for Admin., U.S. Dept. of HEW

1970-1979

January 1970
Jacqueline Granna Wexler, President, Hunter College
June 1970
N. Scott Momaday, Author, Professor, Univ. of California
December 1970
Clifton R. Wharton, Jr., President of Michigan State Univ.
May  1971
Robert L. Ewigleben, President, Ferris State College
December  1971
Roger W. Heyns, President-Elect, American Council on Education
May  1972
Herbert H. Dow, President, Herbert H. and Grace A. Foundation
December  1972
Barbara W. Newell, Pres/Wellesley College
May  1973
Barbara W. Newell, President, Wellesley College
December  1973
Walter Adams, Professor of Economics at MSU, Pres/AAUniv. Prof.
May  1974
Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr., Chief of Naval Operations
December  1974
Roger Wilkins
May  1975
Rafer Johnson
December  1975
Allan Ostar, Executive Director, AASCU
May  1976
William T. Coleman, Jr., Secretary of Transportation
December  1976
Glenn A. Olds, President, Kent State University
May  1977
Hollis Moore, President, Bowling Green University
December  1977
Marjorie Bell Chambers, President, Colorado Women's College
May  1978
John T. Bernhard, President, Western Michigan University
December  1978
Alejandro Orfila, Sec. General/Organ, of American States
May  1979
Robert Swanson, President, Alma College
December  1979Johnathon Kozol, Harvard Graduate

1980-1989

May 1980
Richard Enberg, NBC Sportscaster
December 1980
Harold T. Shapiro, President, Univ. of Michigan
May 1981
William D. Ford, U. S. House of Representatives
December 1981
Lemuel Tucker, CBS News Correspondent
May 1982
Senator Carl Levin, U. S. Senator
December 1982
J. P. McCarthy, Announcer for WJR Radio in Detroit
May 1983
Chief Justice Norman Krivosha, Nebraska Supreme Ct.
December 1983
William B. Boyd, Pres., The Johnson Found., Racine, WI
May  1984
Dale F. Stein, Pres., Michigan Technological Univ.
December  1984
Robert Keeshan (Capt. Kangaroo) noted supporter for High. Ed.
May  1985
Harold Abel, President, Central Michigan University
December  1985
NO SPEAKER
May  1986Diether H. Haenicke, Pres., Western Michigan Univer
December  1986
Joe H. Stroud, Editor, DETROIT FREE PRESS
May  1987
Neil S. Bucklew, Pres., West Virginia University
December  1987
Margaret Heckler, U. S. Ambassador to Ireland
May  1988
Arthur E. Ellis, Pres., Central Michigan University
December  1988
Edward B. Jakubauskas, President, Central Michigan Univ.
May  1989
Loret Miller Ruppe, Director, Peace Corps
December  1989
Roger L. Kesseler, VP & Controller, Dow Chemical Co.

1990-1999

May  1990
Terence C. Moore, Pres., Mid-Mich. Reg. Health Care Sys.
December  1990
B. Thomas Willison, Chairman of Dakin and Willison
May  1991
Joseph E. Antonini, Chairman, K-mart Corporation
December  1991
Larraine Matusak, W. K. Kellogg Foundation
May  1992
The Honorable John M. Engler, Governor, State of Michigan
December  1992
Paul C. Chaffee, Saginaw News, (10:00 a.m.)
December  1992
Dr. Bobby William Austin, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, (3 p.m.)
May  1993
Dr. Edward M. Elmendorf, VP for Gov. Rel., AASCU (9:30 a.m.)
May  1993
Dr. Emeral A. Crosby, Detroit Northern/Pershing High School Principal (1:30 p.m.)
May  1993
Mr. Richard A. Hazelton, President, Dow Corning Corp. (5:30 p.m.)
December  1993
Ms. Helen Murray Free, President, Miles Laboratories (10:00 a.m.)
December  1993
Dr. Timothy G. Quinn, President, Northwestern Michigan College (2:00 p.m.)
May 1994
Dr. Francis J. Molson, Chair, CMU English Department (9:30 a.m.)
May 1994
Mr. Lawrence W. Reed, President, The Mackinac Center for Public Policy (1:30 p.m.)
May 1994
Mr. Dennis Toffolo, President, Hudson's Department Store (5:30 p.m.)
December 1994
Dr. Charles Ping, President Emeritus, Ohio University (10:00 a.m.)
December 1994
Dr. Valerie Becker, National Education Program Administrator, Chrysler Corporation (2:00 p.m.)
May 1995
Mr. Henry Baskin, P.C., Baskin and Feldstein (9:30 a.m.)
May 1995
Mr. Gail L. Warden, President and Chief Executive Officer, Henry Ford Health System (1:30 p.m.)
May 1995
Mr. Barton W. LaBelle, President, Real Estate Division, LaBelle Management, Inc. (4:30 p.m.)
December 1995
The Honorable Fred Mester, Circuit Judge, Oakland County Circuit Court (10:00 a.m.)
December 1995
Mr. Elmer C. Jackson III, General Director of Employee Relations, General Motors Corp. (2:00 p.m.)
May 1996
Mr. Neil Shine, retired Editor and Publisher, Detroit Free Press (9:30 a.m.)
May 1996
Mrs. Margaret Ann Riecker, CMU Trustee Emeritus (1:30 p.m.)
May 1996
Dr. Martha R. Seger, Member, Board of Governors, Federal Reserve System (4:30 p.m.)
August 1996
Dr. Douglas B. Roberts, State Treasurer (10:00 a.m.)
December 1996
Mr. George Weeks, DETROIT NEWS Political Columnist (10:00 a.m.)
December 1996
Mr. Patrick Quinn, CEO, Spartan Stores, Inc. (2:00 p.m.)
May 1997
Dr. Barbara Dixon, Interim Dean, College of Arts and Sciences (10:00 a.m.)
May 1997
Dr. Wells Cook, retiring Professor, Business Information Systems (1:30 p.m.)
August 1997
Dr. Gordon Guyer, retired Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture (10:30 a.m.)
December 1997
Mr. F. Lee Bailey, Attorney (9:30 a.m.)
December 1997
Dr. Alan F. Quick, retiring Professor, TEPD (1:30 p.m.)
December 1997
Ms. Allison “Sunny” Roller, University of Michigan post-polio research (4:30 p.m.)
May 1998
Mr. Chuck Forbes, community developer and Detroit preservationist  (9:30 a.m.)
May 1998
Dr. L. Kimberly Peoples, Director, GoLightly Career and Technical Center (1:30 and 4:30 p.m.)
August 1998
James F. Young, Assistant to Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, EDS (10:30 a.m.)
December 1998
Clark Searle, Executive Vice President, CME Corporation (9:30 a.m.)
December 1998
Lloyd Reuss, former President of General Motors; Focus: HOPE  (1:30 p.m.)
December 1998
Dr. Gary Schnell, Director of the Oklahoma Biological Survey (4:30 p.m.)
May 1999
Robert P. Young, Jr., Michigan Supreme Court Justice (9:30 a.m.)
May 1999
Ms. Kathryn L. Reichmann, CMU College of Extended graduate/management information systems manager  for Southeastern Michigan Health Association in Detroit (1:30 p.m.)
May 1999
Dr. Alexa Canady, Chief of Neurosurgery at Children’s Hospital of Michigan in Detroit (4:30 p.m.)
August 1999
Major General Emilio Díaz-Colón , Puerto Rico Army National Guard (10:30 a.m.)
December 1999
Dr. Clara Lee Moodie, Professor Emerita, CMU Department of English (9:30 a.m.)
December 1999
Mrs. Eleanor Josaitis, Executive Director, Focus: HOPE in Detroit (1:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.)

2000-2009

May 2000
Mr. Lynn E. Turner, Chief Accountant, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Washington, DC (9:30 a.m.)
May 2000
Dr. Donald Bertsch, Director, CMU Counseling Center (1:30 p.m.)
May 2000
Mr. Art Van Elslander, Founder and Owner of Art Van Furniture Company (4:30 p.m.)
May 2000
Dr. Ronald Graham, Jacobs Professor of Computer and Information Science, University of California, San Diego (2:00 p.m.)
August 2000
Mr. Larry Johns, Chairman, Isabella Bank and Trust Bancorp, Incorporated, Mt. Pleasant (10:00 a.m.)
August 2000
Mr. Raymond Vecci, Executive Vice President, Customer Service and President, Michigan Operations, Northwest Airlines Michigan Regional Headquarters, Detroit, Michigan (2:00 p.m.)
December 2000
Mr. Ricardo Solomon, Chairman, Wayne County Commission (9:30 a.m.)
December 2000
Mr. Jeff Daniels, actor, director and writer (1:30 p.m.)
December 2000
Dr. John J. H. Schwarz, Michigan State Senator (4:30 p.m.)
May 2001
Dave Camp, United States Congressman (9:30 a.m.)
May 2001
Debbie Stabenow, United States Senator (1:30 p.m.)
May 2001
Samuel Logan, Jr., Publisher, MICHIGAN FRONTPAGE
May 2001
Dr. Donald J. Breckon, President, Park University, Missouri
August 2001
William L.Johnson, Chairman and CEO, SEMCO ENERGY, Inc. (10:00 a.m.)
August 2001
Joseph K. Knollenberg, United States Representative (2:00 p.m.)
December 2001
Renée Hampton, Publisher, Saginaw News (10:00 a.m.)
December 2001
Paul Hillegonds, President, Detroit Renaissance (2:00 p.m.)
May 2002
Mr. W. Frank Fountain, Senior Vice President, Governmental Relations, Daimler Chrysler Corporation (9:30 a.m.)
May 2002
Mr. Paul W. Smith, WJR-AM 760 Radio Personality (1:30 p.m.)
May 2002
Dr. Timothy R. B. Johnson, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medical Center (4:30 p.m.)
August 2002
Dr. George F. Vande Woude, Director, Van Andel Research Institute (9:30 a.m.)
August 2002
Mr. Michael D. Parker, President and Chief Executive Officer, The Dow Chemical Company (1:00 p.m.)
December 2002
Dr. Donald A. Tomalia, President and Chief Technical Officer, Dendritic Nanotechnologies Limited (10:00 a.m.)
December 2002
Ms. Denise Ilitch, President, Ilitch Holdings, Inc. (2:00 p.m.)
May 2003
The Honorable John D. Cherry, Jr., Lieutenant Governor, State of Michigan (9:30 a.m.)
May 2003
Mrs. Judith Ann Rapanos, Chairperson, National Museum Services Board (1:00 p.m.)
May 2003
Dr. P. Dee Boersma, Professor, Department of Zoology, Adjunct Professor, Women Studies, Department of Zoology, University of Washington (5:00 p.m.)
August 2003
Mr. David Broder, Political Correspondent, The Washington Post (10:00 a.m.)
December 2003
Mr. Heath J. Meriwether, Publisher, Detroit Free Press (10:00 a.m.)
December 2003
Mr. Dick DeVos, The Windquest Group (2:00 p.m.)
May 2004
Dr. Marilyn French Hubbard, Vice President, Community Partnerships, Henry Ford Health System (9:30 a.m.)
May 2004
Chief Ella Bully-Cummings, Detroit Police Department (1:30 p.m.)
May 2004
Mr. Thomas Celani, President, Luna Entertainment (4:30 p.m.)
August 2004
Dr. Stephanie A. Burns, President and Chief Executive Officer, Down Corning Corporation (10:00 a.m.)
August 2004
Ms. Rebecca A. Humphries, Director, Department of Natural Resources (10:00 a.m.)
December 2004
Mr. Michael O’Donnell, Founder and Managing Director, Protiviti (2:00 p.m.)
December 2004
Dr. Joseph Bordogna, Deputy Director, National Science Foundation (9:30 a.m.)
May 2005
Mrs. Debbie Dingell, Vice Chair, GM Foundation and Executive Director, Government and Community Affairs (1:30 p.m.)
May 2005
Mr. David A. Brandon, Chairman and CEO, Domino’s Pizza, Inc.
May 2005
The Honorable Matthew J. Perry, Jr., U.S. District Court Judge, Columbia, S.C. (9:30 a.m.)
December 2005
Sue Schrier Bancroft, professional bassoonist and educator, Argyle, Texas (1:30 p.m.)
December 2005
David B. Keilitz, Executive Director, American Baseball Coaches Association (4:30 p.m.)
May 2006
Ms. Cynthia J. Pasky, President and CEO, Strategic Staffing Solutions, Inc. (9:30 a.m.)
May 2006
Mrs. Anne Stevens, Executive Vice President, Ford Motor Company (1:30 p.m.)
May 2006
Mr. Andrew Liveris, President and CEO, The Dow Chemical Company (4:30 p.m.)
December 2006
Mr. Keith Goodwin, Senior Vice President, Cisco Systems (9:30 a.m.)
December 2006
Mr. Michael Fezzey, President and General Manager, WJR Radio and Radio Disney (1:30 p.m.)
December 2006
Mr. Richard Dauch, Chair and CEO, American Axle and Manufacturing (5:00 p.m.)
December 2006
Mr. Kenneth Rogers, Executive Director, Automation Alley (5:00 p.m.)
May 2007
Mr. Jack Krasula, President, Trustinus, LLC (9:30 a.m.)
May 2007
Mr. John Grogan, Autho, (1:30 p.m.)
May 2007
Ms. Florine Mark, President, The WW Group, Inc. (5:00 p.m.)
December 2007
Mr. Jerry D. Campbell, Chairman of the Board, Republic Bancorp, Inc. (9:30 a.m.)
December 2007
The Honorable Terri Lynn Land, Secretary of State (1:30 p.m.)
December 2007
Mr. Joe Dumars III, The Joren Group and Detroit Pistons (5:00 p.m.)
May 2008
Dr. Robert J. Froehlich, Vice Chairman, DWS Scudder (9:30 a.m.)
May 2008
Mr. Chuck Leavell, author, speaker, Rolling Stones musician (1:30 p.m.)
May 2008
Mr. David Baker Lewis, Attorney at Law, Lewis and Munday (5:00 p.m.)
December 2008
Ms. Kathleen Ligocki, CEO, GS Motors (9:30 a.m.)
December 2008
Dr. Albert Scaglione, CEO, Park West Gallery (1:30 p.m.)
December 2008
Ms. Meena Mutyala, Vice President/Business Leader for India Strategy, Westinghouse Electric Company (5:00 p.m.)
May 2009
Mr. David Brown, Education Specialist, California Deaf-Blind Services (9:30 a.m.)
May 2009
Mr. John Bonamego, Special Teams Coordinator, Miami Dolphins (1:30 p.m.)
May 2009Mr. Warren Miller, Chairman, Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad (5:00 p.m.)
December 2009Mr. Daniel J. Loepp, President and CEO, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (9:30 a.m.)
December 2009Ms. Mary Kramer, Vice President/Publisher, Crain’s Detroit Business (1:30 p.m.)
December 2009L. Brooks Patterson, J.D., Oakland County Executive (5:00 p.m.)​

2010-2019

May 2010
Dr. Peter J. Engardio, M.A., Founder, Writer and Editor of Engardio Media (2 p.m.)​
May 2011
Dr. Nancy M. Schlichting, M.B.A., President and CEO of Henry Forth Health System (9:30am)
May 2011
Dr. Brett A. Hley, Director and Senior Broadcast Producer of "NBC Nightly News" (1:30 p.m.)​
May 2011
Dr. Andrew G. Arena, J.D., Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Division (5:00 p.m.)​
December 2011
Dr. William F. Pickard, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Global Automotive Alliance LLC (9:30 a.m.)
December 2011
Dr. Lizabeth Ardisana, Owner and Chief Executive Officer of ASG Renaissance (1:30 p.m.)​
December 2011
Dr. Michael J. Farrell, MacDonald Women's Hospital and Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital (5 p.m.)​
May 2012
Dr. Mark A. Murray, President of Meijer, Inc. (9 a.m.)​
May 2012
Dr. Herbert Woodward Martin, Poet (1 p.m.)
May 2012
Dr. Mark Francek, Professor of Geography at CMU (5 p.m.)​
May 2012
Dr. John G. Kulhavi, Wealth Management Advisor (9 a.m.)​
December 2012
Dr. Brian Calley, Lieutenant Governor of the State of Michigan (1 p.m.)​
December 2012
Dr. Joseph Wang, Professor of Nanoengineering at the University of California San Diego (5 p.m.)​
December 2012
​Dr. D. James Baker, Director of Global Carbon Measurement Program (4 p.m.)​
May 2013
Mr. J. Patrick Doyle, President and CEO of Domino's Pizza, Inc. (9 a.m.)
May 2013
Dr. E. Malcolm Field, Medical Director at Field Neurosciences Institute (1 p.m.)​
May 2013
Dr. Rita R. Colwell, Distinguished University Professor (5 p.m.)​
May 2013
Dr. Timothy R. B. Johnson, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medical Center (4:30 p.m.)
December 14, 2013
 Joseph B. Anderson Jr., chairman and CEO, TAG Holdings (9 a.m.)​
December 14, 2013
Edward K. Christian, chairman, president, CEO and founder, Saga Communications Inc. (1 p.m.)​
December 14, 2013
Dr. Jan H. Pol, veterinarian and star of National Geographic Wild’s “The Incredible Dr. Pol” (5 p.m.)​
May 9, 2014Robert E Kohrman, CMU emeritus professor and dean of the College of Science and Technology (4 p.m.)
​May 10, 2014
John Fikany, vice president of Microsoft Corp.’s U.S. Enterprise and Partner Group for the Central Region (9 a.m.)​
May 10, 2014
Teri Dale, American opera singer and actress (1 p.m.) ​
May 10, 2014W. Curtis White, chief technology consultant and president of White IEQ Consulting (5:30 p.m.)
December 13, 2014​
Roy S. Roberts, longtime U.S. automobile industry executive, General Motors Corp. (9 a.m.)​
December 13, 2014
Sandra D. Petykiewicz, former editor and publisher of the Jackson Citizen Patriot (1 p.m.)​
December 13, 2014
​Nancy C. Tuchman, founding director, Institute of Environmental Sustainability at Loyola University Chicago (5:30 p.m.)​
May 8, 2015Joseph S. Francisco, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Elmer H. and Ruby M. Cordes Chair in Chemistry at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (​​4 p.m.)​
May 8, 2015
Melanie ​​Bergeron, Chair of ​"Two Men and a Truck" (​​9 a.m.)​
May 8, 2015
Thomas Morgan, Documentary Filmmaker (1 p.m.)​
December​ 19, 2015
Enrico Digirolamo, Chief Financial Officer of Covisint​ Corp. (9 a.m.)​
December​ 19, 2015
Shirley Brauker, owner of Moon Bear Pottery and Indian Arts​ (1:30 p.m.)​
December​ 19, 2015
Dan Kildee, District 5 congressman​ (6 p.m.)​
May 6, 2016
David J. Matty, Dean of College of Science at Weber State University​​ (4 p.m)​
May 6, 2016
Belle S. Wheelan, President of Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges​ (9 a.m.)​
May 6, 2016
​Eduardo B. Fernandez, Vice President and Divisional General Manager, E.W. Scripps (1:30 p.m.)​
May 7, 2016
Gary L. Dunbar, Professor, Department of Psychology (6 p.m.)​
​December 17, 2016​
Nick Krzyzaniak, General Manager for Danone North America (9 a.m.)
​December 17, 2016​
Christine Holton Cashen Certified Speaking Professional and member of the National Speakers Association (1:30 p.m.)​
​December 17, 2016​
Tonya Matthews, Chief Executive Officer and President of the Michigan Science Center (6 p.m.)​
May 6, 2017
Muriel A. Howard, President of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (Doctoral)​
May 6, 2017
Gail Torreano, Retired Senior Vice President of AT&T Employee Communication and Corporate Sponsorships (9 a.m.)​
May 6, 2017
Carter Oosterhouse, Television Personality, Lifestyle Expert, Business Owner and Philanthropist (1:30 p.m.)​
May 6, 2017
Pamela J. Spencer, Director of Regulatory Affairs and Product Stewardship, ANGUS Chemical Co. (6 p.m.)​
December 16, 2017
R. A. Lorris Betz, Senior Vice President Emeritus of Health Sciences, University of Utah (College of Medicine)​
December 16, 2017
Gay L. Ebers-Franckowiak, Retired Managing Director of Morgan Stanley (9 a.m.)
December 16, 2017
Frank J. Cloutier, Former Chief of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe (1:30 p.m.)​
May 5, 2018
James O. Sawyer IV, President of Macomb Community College (6 p.m.)
May 5, 2018
Eleanor Baum, Retired Dean of Engineering at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (Doctoral)​
May 5, 2018
Jocelyn Hagerman, Founder and Co-Owner of Skypoint Ventures and Chief Executive Officer of the Hagerman Foundation (1:30 p.m.)​
May 5, 2018
Terrance J. Coughlin, Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer of Endo International Pharmaceutical Company (6 p.m.)​
May 5, 2018
Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Senior Vice President of Community Health and Equity and the Chief Wellness and Diversity Officer at Henry Ford Health System (College of Medicine)​
December 15, 2018
Deirdre Drake, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer, U.S. Cellular Corporation (9 a.m.)​
December 15, 2018
Janice Fialka, nationally recognized lecturer, author, social worker and award-winning advocate (1:30 p.m.)​
December 15, 2018
Daniel C. Edson, President and Co-Founder of the American Proficiency Institute (5:30 p.m.)
May 4, 2019
Raymond W. Cross, President of the University of Wisconsin System (Doctoral) Subir Chowdhury, Chairman and CEO of ASI Consulting Group LLC (9 a.m.)​
May 4, 2019
Sarah Rowley Opperman, Retired Vice President of Global Government Affairs and Public Policy at The Dow Chemical Company (1:30 p.m.)​
May 4, 2019
Joseph Mancewicz, Senior Software Engineer in NVIDIA’s Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence Group (6 p.m.)​
May 4, 2019
Dr. Darrell G. Kirch, President and CEO of the Association of American Medical Colleges (College of Medicine)
November 21, 2020
No speaker at virtual ceremony due to COVID-19
May 2021
(No speaker listed on program)

2020-2029

​November 21, 2020No speaker at virtual ceremony due to COVID-19
​May 2021(No speaker listed on program)