USC announces honorary degree recipients


The Office of the Provost announced the recipients of honorary degrees, which will be awarded at commencement May 11.

This year’s recipients include Christiane Amanpour, global affairs anchor for ABC and commencement speaker; Lt.-Gen. Roméo Dallaire, former force commander of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda; Dana Dornsife, USC benefactor and international humanitarian; and David Dornsife, USC trustee.

Honorary · Dana and David Dornsife, benefactors of USC, and six others will receive honorary degrees at Commencement on May 11. - Daily Trojan file photo

Margo Apostolos, director of dance at the USC School of Theatre and chair of the Honorary Degrees Committee, said students play a pivotal role in the committee’s selection of honorary degree recipients.

“We had great nominations from students this year and I want students to continue participating,” Apostolos said. “Students really help us, the faculty, hear their voice. They are an important part of this.”

The Honorary Degrees Committee chooses recipients from student nominations and sends the list to President C. L. Max Nikias. Nikias sends the list of recipients to the Academic Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees, which makes the final decision on honorary degree recipients. Recipients must be present at commencement to receive their honorary degrees.

Additional recipients of honorary degrees include Victoria Hale, a pharmaceutical scientist and social entrepreneur; Armas C. Markkula, an entrepreneur and former CEO of Apple; Julie Mork, philanthropist and USC benefactor; and John Mork, USC trustee.