2018 Dennis Walcott, President and CEO of Queens Library
2017 Oscar Andrés Cardinal Rodríguez Maradiaga, Catholic Cardinal from Honduras
2016 David Skorton, MD, the 13th secretary of the Smithsonian Institution
2015 Nana Lordina, First Lady of the Republic of Ghana,
2014 Tino Martinez, New York Yankees All Star
2013 Richard Engel NBC News Correspondent
2012 John Brennan Deputy National Security Advisor; now CIA Director
2011 Brian Williams NBC Anchor
2010 Mary McAleese President of Ireland
2009 Tom Brokaw
2008 Charlie Rose Rescinded 2017
2007 Willie Randolph
2006 Chris Matthews, Host of MSNBC'S Hardball
2005 John Sexton, New York University President
2004 Tim Russert, NBC's Meet the Press
2003 Ted Koppel, ABC Nightline
2002 Gerald Levin, Former CEO AOL Time Warner
2001 Bill Cosby, Actor, Comedian, best-selling author, educator Rescinded 2015
2000 Vin Scully, Hall of Fame Broadcaster, Los Angeles Dodgers
1999 George Mitchell, Former US Senator/ David Copperfield Magician
1998 Judge Joseph McLaughlin, former dean of Fordham's School of Law,
1997 Mary Higgins Clark
1996 Rev. Joseph O'Hare President of Fordham
1995 Mary Robinson President of Ireland
1994 Jonathan Kozol Author Savage Inequalities
1993 Peter Steinfels NY Times Religion Editor
1992 Dr. John Brademas, former Congressman, president emeritus of New York University,
1991 Marion Wright Edelman Children’s Defense Fund
1990 William P Ford Rights Activist (Jesuit Killings in El Salvador)
1989 Fr Tim Healy President of Georgetown
1988 Charles Osgood
1987 Senator Alphonse D'Amato
1986 Robert Hayes Founder Coalition for the Homeless
1985 Mario Cuomo Governor of NY
1984 Rev. James Finlay President of Fordham
1983 Felix G. Rohatyn
1982 Seamus Heaney Poet
1981 Paulo Evaristo Cardinal Arns, Archbishop of Sao Paulo
1980 Patricia Harris Secretary of Health and Human Services
1979 Zbigniew Brzezinski National Security Advisor
1978 Alan Alda
1977 Thomas A Murphy Chairman General Motors
1976 Governor Hugh Carey
1975 Judge William Hughes Mulligan
1974 Governor Malcolm Wilson
1973 Dr Ernest Boyer Chancellor State University of New York
1972 Kurt Waldheim UN Secretary General
1971 James Hester President of NYU
1970 Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan
1969 Sen. Ted Kennedy
1968 Leo McGlaughlin (Eulogy and mass for Bobby Kennedy)
1967 Sen Robert F Kennedy
1966 Rev. Vincent T O'Keefe President of Fordham
1965 Vice President Hubert Humphrey
1964 Francis Cardinal Spellman
1963 Sargent Shriver
1962 Teodoro Moscoso Alliance for Progress
1961 Joseph W McGovern FU Law Professor and member NYS Board of Regents
1960 Dr Charles H Malik President UN General Assembly
1959 Cardinal Cushing
1958 W.A. Harriman Governor of NY
1957 Rev. Laurence McGinley
1956 Rev Laurence McGinley
1955 Rev Laurence McGinley
1954 Robert D Murphy Deputy Under Secretary of State
1953 Rev Laurence McGinley
1952 Msgr John Middleton education secretary Arch of NY
1951 Rev Laurence McGinley
1950 Rev Laurence McGinley
1949 Rev Laurence McGinley
1948 Rev Robert Gannon
1947 Msgr Ferdinand Vandry Director of Laval University
1946 Gov Thomas Dewey (President Truman received an honorary degree and gave an address but it was not at June Commencement. It was in May)
1945 Major General Sir Walter Maxwell Scott
1944 Rev Robert Gannon
1943 Rev Robert Gannon
1942 Rev Robert Gannon
1941 Bishop J Francis McIntyre
(This list was compiled by Paul Reilly, Class of 1980)
Engel
Brennan
Williams
McAleese
Brokaw
Randolph
Matthews
Sexton
Russert