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May 2025 honorary degree nominations being accepted

honorary degrees

The Office of the Provost is accepting nominations of candidates for honorary doctoral degrees at WVU to be awarded at Commencement exercises in May 2025.

Nomination packets are due to the Office of the Provost by Friday, Oct. 4.

The Provost invites faculty, staff, students and alumni to consider nominating exceptional people who have made outstanding contributions to their field and society. We are looking for a robust pool of candidates who represent a diverse range of ideas, expertise and lived experiences.

The honorary degree is the highest distinction West Virginia University bestows. Nominees are evaluated on the basis of the three criteria and need only meet one criterion to be eligible to receive an honorary degree. 

The criteria are as follows:

  • Having attained national/international preeminence in their field and/or,

  • Having provided distinguished and preeminent leadership in society and/or

  • Having a sustained record of extraordinary philanthropy to WVU and/or having supported the University substantially in various ways.

More information about the nomination process, as well as nomination forms, guidelines and a complete list of previous honorary degree recipients, can be found at http://honorarydegrees.wvu.edu

Specific questions or concerns can be directed to Tamira Smith at 304-293-5701 or Tamira.Smith@mail.wvu.edu.