SC Connecticut News

During its 323rd Commencement, Yale University conferred honorary degrees on nine individuals in recognition of their outstanding achievements and contributions to the common good. The recipients included eminent social psychologist Mahzarin Banaji; retired U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Stephen Breyer; Nobel Prize-winning molecular geneticist Mario Capecchi; health policy leader Risa Lavizzo-Mourey; mathematician and computer scientist László Lovász; research psychologist and global thought leader Judith Rodin; literary critic Hortense Spillers; visual artist Kehinde Wiley ’01 M.F.A.; and Yale President Peter Salovey.

The awarding of honorary degrees is a tradition at Yale that dates back to 1702. It serves to recognize pioneering achievement or exemplary contribution to the common good. Each recipient was lauded for their individual accomplishments and contributions in their respective fields.

Among the honorees, Mahzarin Banaji was celebrated as a "groundbreaking scholar" whose work has illuminated the role unconscious processes play in governing human social action. Stephen Breyer was praised for his pragmatic philosophy during his tenure as a Supreme Court justice, emphasizing that judges must adhere to principle rather than politics.

Mario Capecchi, who survived the Holocaust as a child before moving to the United States, was recognized for his Nobel Prize-winning work in gene targeting in mouse embryo stem cells. Risa Lavizzo-Mourey was honored for her leadership in health policy and her efforts towards creating equitable healthcare.

László Lovász's contributions to mathematics and computer science were acknowledged, with special mention of his real-life applications that serve and advance humankind. Judith Rodin's transformative leadership at both the University of Pennsylvania and the Rockefeller Foundation was commended, along with her creative ideas that have helped these institutions adapt to modern times.

Yale President Peter Salovey received an honorary degree marking his numerous leadership roles at the university and his efforts to create a more accessible, innovative, and excellent Yale. Literary critic Hortense Spillers was celebrated for her foundational work in understanding how race and gender shape the modern world. Finally, visual artist Kehinde Wiley was recognized for his vibrant and imaginative work that raises questions about privilege, power, authority, and representation.