| 1913 |
Ford Ashman Carpenter, Meteorologist |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1915 |
Thomas Newlin, Former President of Whittier College |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1916 |
Charles E. Tebbetts, Former President of Whittier College
William P. Trueblood, Vice President and Professor of History and Sociology, Friends University |
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)
Master of Arts (M.A.) |
| 1917 |
Gilbert Bowles, Quaker Missionary |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1918 |
H. Edwin McGrew, Former President of Penn College
John S. Kimber, Reverend |
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)
Bachelor of Arts (A.B.) |
| 1927 |
Willard O. Trueblood, Member of the Religious Society of FRIENDS
William John Cooper, Educator |
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1928 |
Lou Henry Hoover, Former First Lady of the United States |
Doctor of Letters (Litt. D.) |
| 1929 |
Francis J. Dell
Vierling Kersey, Former Superintendent of Public Instruction |
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1932 |
Imelda E. Brooks, Former Director of Broadoaks School |
Master of Education (M.Ed.) |
| 1934 |
Walter Friar Dexter, Former President of Whittier College |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1937 |
Mrs. Alexander R. Kerr |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1938 |
Herbert E. Harris, English Professor, and Writer
Gustaf F. Ostrom, Professor of Chemistry |
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D)
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) |
| 1942 |
O. Herschel Folger, Minister |
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) |
| 1945 |
George Reeves, Former President of Chapman University |
Doctor of Laws (L.L.D.) |
| 1946 |
Jessamyn West McPherson, Author
William O. Mendenhall, Former President of Whittier College |
Doctor of Letters (Litt. D.)
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) |
| 1947 |
Harry Noble Wright, Former President of Whittier College |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1948 |
Howard L. Hockett, Former Director of the Department of Music at Whittier College
Rufus M. Jones, Writer, and Philosopher |
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.) |
| 1950 |
Clarence Evan Pickett, Theologian, and Quaker |
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) |
| 1951 |
Henry Joel Cadbury, Biblical Scholar |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1954 |
Richard M. Nixon, Former President of the United States |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1956 |
LaMotte T. Cohu, Business Executive |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1957 |
Preston Hotchkis, Attorney, and Business Executive
Donald Byron Spitler, Reverend
Aubrey Wardman, Business Executive |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1958 |
Wofford B. Camp, Agronomist |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1959 |
John Stauffer, Business Executive |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D) |
| 1960 |
Benjamin K. Swartz, Archaeologist, and Educator |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1961 |
Joseph Herschel Coffin, Author
Herman H. Henkle
Lewis Elden Smith, Business Executive |
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.)
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1962 |
Arthur Fisher Corey
Joseph Parker Cosand, Jr.
Paul S. Smith, Former President of Whittier College |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1963 |
E. Ezra Ellis
Mark O. Hatfield, Politician
Harold Foster Spencer |
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) |
| 1964 |
William McCormick Blair, Jr., Former Ambassador
Arthur G. Coons, Former President of Occidental College
Edward J. Guirado, Judge |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1965 |
Evangeline Brainard Burgess
Leslie Townes (Bob) Hope, Comedian, and Actor
Warren Barr Knox, Author
Margaret Chase Smith, Politician |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1966 |
Chester Earl Holifield, Politician |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1968 |
Richard Armour, Poet
Eugene Gonzales, Veteran, and Politician
Leo E. Owens, Publisher |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1969 |
Frank Borman, NASA Astronaut, and Aeronautical Engineer
Robert D. Fisher, Wildlife Researcher
Stanley Meyer, Inventor |
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1970 |
Harold C. Case, Academic Administrator
Raymond Philip Shafer, Attorney, and Politician |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
At the Inaugural Convocation of Dr. Fredrick Moore Binder |
| 1971 |
Arnold O. Beckman, Inventor, Chemist, and Philanthropist
Melvin Calvin, Biochemist
Krister Stendahl, Theologian |
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) |
| 1972 |
Patricia Reilly Hitt, Former Assistant Secretary of Health, Education, Welfare
Robert M. McAllister, Author
N. Loyall McLaren, Business Executive
Elliot Lee Richardson, Government Official |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Science ((Sc.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1973 |
Richard P. Ettinger, Jr., Publisher, and Philanthropist
Allan W. Ostar, Educator, and Activist
W. Clement Stone, Business Executive, and Philanthropist |
Doctor of Letters (Litt. D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1974 |
Jessamyn West McPherson, Author
Donald E. Graham, Publisher, Attorney |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1975 |
John Hope Franklin, Historian
Walter Manuel Garcia, Real Estate Executive
Howard Payne House, Otologist |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Science (Sc. D.) |
| 1976 |
Thomas Bradley, Former Mayor of Los Angeles, and Politician
William H.D. Hornaday, Reverend |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) |
| 1977 |
Albert R. Behnke, Jr., Physician
Thomas W. Bewley, Attorney
John K. Van de Kamp, Former Los Angeles District Attorney
Beverly M. Stauffer, Philanthropist |
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1978 |
Jan J. Erteszek, Legal Assistant
Ross McCollum, Attorney
Carl E. Sagan, Astronomer |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Science (Sc. D) |
| 1979 |
Ray Douglas Bradbury, Author, and Screenwriter
Henry A. Lacy, Methodist and Educator
John A. Murdy, Jr., Business Executive |
Doctor of Letters (Litt. D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1980 |
Theodor Seuss Geisel, Author
John Houseman, Actor, and Producer |
Doctor of Letters (Litt. D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1981 |
Julian Nava, Educator
Wallace R. Turner, Former Whittier College Trustee |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1982 |
Ernest L. Boyer, Educator
Oscar O. Marshburn, Local Business Executive
Carl L. Randolph. Jr., Business Executive |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1983 |
Knud Helm-Erichsen, Business Executive
Charles T. Manatt, Lawyer, and Politician |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1984 |
Paul Blair Salmon, Former director of the American Association of School Administrators
Peter Heath Dailey, Former US Ambassador
Richard H. Deihl, Lieutenant, and Business Executive |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.) |
| 1985 |
Jan de Hartog, Playwright
Klane E. Robison |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Divinity (D.D.) |
| 1986 |
Ernest J. Gaines, Author
Robert F. Rockwell, Researcher, and Professor |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1987 |
Yuri V. Medvedkov, Professor
Jack Smith, Filmmaker, and Actor
William F. House, Medical Researcher |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) |
| 1988 |
Francis L. Dale, Former US Ambassador
Stuart E. Gothold, Professor
Joseph W. Elder, Scholar
Barry Lopez, Author
R. Chandler Myers, Lawyer |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1989 |
Dorothy Wright Nelson, Judge
F. Sherwood Rowland, American Nobel laureate, Professor of Chemistry |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) |
| 1990 |
Morris S. Dees, Jr., Attorney
Benjamin B. Tregoe, Jr., Business Executive |
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.)
Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) |
| 1991 |
Paul C.W. Chu, Physicist
Martin E. Marty, Religious Scholar |
Doctor of Science (Sc.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1992 |
Donald M. Stewart, Former President of Spelman
Ruth B. Shannon, Philanthropist
Ed L. Shannon, Jr., Business Executive
Tanya Tull, Philanthropist |
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Social Science (Sc.D.) |
| 1993 |
Edward James Olmos, Actor, and Producer
Lilian G. Katz, Educator
Gordon Gund, Business Executive |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1994 |
Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, Archbishop, and Philanthropist
Rayburn S. Dezember, Business Executive, and Philanthropist |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1995 |
Frank O. Gehry, Architect
Clinton O. Harris, Former Whittier College Trustee, and Business Executive
Harry W. Nerhood, Former Professor |
Doctor of Humanities
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.) |
| 1996 |
Dolores Lautrup Ball, Civic Activist
Al Martinez, Writer
Harriet H. Doerr, Author
Judith Malina, Actress, Director, and Writer |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1997 |
Robert F. Erburu, Business Executive
Douglas W. Ferguson, Former Professor of Economics
Dorothy Antoinette Handy (Miller), Musician
Tina Howe, Playwright |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1998 |
John A. Accardi, Business Executive
Antonia M. Hernandez, Attorney, and Activist
Zilpha Keatley Snyder, Author
Donald E. Wood |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 1999 |
Charlotte D. Graham, Philanthropist
Barry Munitz, Business Executive
Anders Uhrskov, Former Director of the Danish Institute for Study Abroad |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2000 |
Anthony R. Pierno '54, Attorney
Robert A. Skotheim, Business Executive |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2001 |
Michael Weinstein, Business Executive, and Philanthropist
Julia Scofield Russell, Ecofeminist
Esteban E. Torres, Politician |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2002 |
Linda & Peter Biehl, Founders of Amy Biehl Foundation
Willard V. Harris, Jr., Business Executive
Norman Y. Mineta, Politician |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2003 |
Charles Johnson, Writer, and Philosopher
Rosario Marin, Former U.S. Treasurer
Alice Newsom, Community Leader
Daniel Schorr, Journalist
Lisbeth Schorr, Policy Analyst |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2004 |
Simon A. Levin, Ecologist
Rev. Cecil L. "Chip" Murray, Pastor, and Activist
Martin Ortiz '48, Founder of the Center of Mexican American Affairs
B. LaRae Orullian, Business Executive |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2005 |
Alfred J. Gobar '53, Economist and Business Executive
Rafer Johnson, Film Actor and Decathlete
Ruben Martinez, Journalist
Gordon Sato, Cell Biologist |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2007 |
Antonio Villaraigosa, Mayor of Los Angeles
Isabel Allende, Writer
William C. Gordon, Author |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2008 |
Justice Richard Goldstone, South African Judge
Dr. Michael Shermer, Scientific Writer
Venerable Grand Master Hsing Yun, Buddhist Monk |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2009 |
Marian Wright Edelman, Activist
Al Young, Poet
Bharati Mukherjee, Writer |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2010 |
Nilo Cruz, Playwright
Luc Montagnier, Virologist
Keith Jackson, Sports Commentator
Tim O'Brien, Novelist
Bill McKibben, Environmentalist |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2011 |
Bill Moyers, Journalist, and Politician
Judith Davidson Moyers, Producer |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2012 |
David Bohnett, Technology Entrepreneur
Richard Solomon, Politician
Dr. Mario J. Molina, Chemist
Dr. Rosemary Radford Ruether, Feminist Theologist
Chauncey Veatch, Professor |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2013 |
Sonia Nazario, Journalist |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2014 |
Father Gregory Boyle, Priest, and Business Executive
Dr. Maggie Koong, Business Executive
Gloria Molina, Politician
Peter Verbiscar-Brown, Business Executive
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
|
| 2015 |
Eric Garcetti, Mayor of Los Angeles |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2016 |
Maria Contreras-Sweet, Business Executive
James "Mudcat" Grant, Professional Athlete
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
|
| 2017 |
Solomon Trujillo, Technology Executive |
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2019 |
Maria S. Salinas, Business Executive
Lydia Kennard, Business Executive
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.)
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2022 |
Jan Gustafson-Corea
California Association for Bilingual Education
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2022 |
Shaun Harper
USC Race and Equity Center
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2023 |
Erin Aubry Kaplan
Journalist, Educator
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2023 |
Arthur Allan-Seidelman
American Director
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
| 2024 |
Fred Claire
Acclaimed Major League Baseball Executive
Faisal Saeed Al Mutar
Founder of Ideas Beyond Borders
|
Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) |
