Alumnus Alec Baldwin to Speak at NYU’s 2010 Commencement

Honorary Degree Recipients Also Include Educator Berdahl, Xerox CEO Burns, Social Entrepreneur Drayton, Musician/Composer Shorter, and Sociologist Wilson

Entrepreneur/Philanthropist/Alum Milstein to Receive Gallatin Medal; Regents Chancellor Tisch to Receive Rudin Award

NYU President John Sexton and Board of Trustees Chairman Martin Lipton today announced the names of those to be honored at the University’s 178th Commencement Exercises, which will be held Wednesday, May 12th, in Yankee Stadium.

Alec Baldwin – an award-winning actor, co-host of this year’s Academy Awards, and alumnus of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts – will address the graduates and guests.  Baldwin will receive a Doctor of Fine Arts degree, honoris causa, at the ceremony. 

This year’s other recipients of honorary doctorates are:

• Robert Max Berdahl – historian, president of the Association of American Universities, and former chancellor of the University of California at Berkeley – will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa.
• Ursula M. Burns – CEO of Xerox and an alumna of NYU-Poly – will receive a Doctor of Commercial Science degree, honoris causa.
• Bill Drayton – social entrepreneur and CEO of Ashoka Global Headquarters – will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa.
• Wayne Shorter – award-winning jazz saxophonist and composer and NYU Steinhardt alumnus – will receive a Doctor of Fine Arts degree, honoris causa.
• William Julius Wilson – the renowned and influential sociologist – will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree, honoris causa.

The “Albert Gallatin Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Society” will be presented to lawyer, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and alumna Connie Milstein.

The “Lewis Rudin Award for Exemplary Service to New York City” will be presented to Merryl Tisch, chancellor of the New York State Board of Regents and NYU alumna.