Honorary degree recipients also include John Richard Casani, Suzanne Rosik Dodd, Jean Liu, Martine Rothblatt, Bryan Stevenson, and Edward Carroll Stone

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to speak at NYU's commencement.

New York University President Andrew Hamilton and Board of Trustees Chairman William Berkley today announced the names of those to be honored at the University’s 186th Commencement Exercises, which will be held Wednesday, May 16, at Yankee Stadium.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will receive a doctor of laws degree, honoris causa, at the ceremony and address the graduates and guests on behalf of all the degree recipients. In November of 2015, Trudeau became Canada’s 23rd prime minister and also serves as the minister of intergovernmental affairs and the minister of youth. As prime minister, Trudeau is focused on creating new jobs, fostering strength out of Canada’s rich diversity, fighting climate change, and achieving reconciliation with indigenous peoples. A proud feminist, Trudeau appointed Canada’s first gender-balanced cabinet.

Other honorary degree recipients include:

Didi Chuxing President Jean Liu

Photo Credit: Jin Anran

Didi Chuxing President Jean Liu will receive a doctor of commercial science, honoris causa. Liu joined Didi Chuxing, the world’s leading mobile transportation platform based in China, in July 2014 from her previous position as managing director at Goldman Sachs (Asia). 

As a strong leader for gender diversity at the company, she led the creation of a women’s network to help career development for female employees, and is an avid champion for a culture of collaboration between the tech world and the broader stakeholder communities. 

Chair and CEO of United Therapeutics Martine Rothblatt

Photo Credit: Todd Cheney/UCLA

Chair and CEO of United Therapeutics Martine Rothblatt will receive a doctor of commercial science, honoris causa. Rothblatt founded United Therapeutics to save her daughter’s life, and she now leads the $6 billion company in efforts to create novel therapies for rare diseases, decode the pharmacogenomics properties of medicines, and manufacture an unlimited supply of transplantable organs.

Professor of clinical law at NYU and founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, Bryan Stevenson will receive a doctor of laws, honoris causa. Stevenson is a widely acclaimed public interest lawyer who has dedicated his career to helping the poor, the incarcerated, and the condemned.

Professor of clinical law at NYU and founder and executive director of the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, Bryan Stevenson

Photo Credit: Paul Robertson

Key members of NASA’s Voyager team—John Richard Casani, Suzanne Rosik Dodd, and Edward Carroll Stone

Photo Credit: JPL-CalTech

Key members of NASA’s Voyager team—John Richard Casani, Suzanne Rosik Dodd, and Edward Carroll Stone—will receive a joint doctor of science degree, honoris causa. The two Voyager spacecrafts provided the first close-up look at the outer solar system (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune). Exceptional feats of science, technology, and engineering, they have resulted not only in extraordinary discoveries but also in the first human-made object to reach interstellar space.

Howard Meyers

The Lewis Rudin Award for Exemplary Service to New York City will be presented to Alan H. Fishman, chairman of Ladder Capital, chairman emeritus of the Brooklyn Academy of Music, and chairman of the Brooklyn Community Foundation, whose vision continues to propel Brooklyn forward.

Candidate ticket reservations for commencement opened on Monday, March 12.

The Albert Gallatin Medal for Outstanding Contributions to Society will be presented to Howard M. Meyers—chairman of Quexco Incorporated, noted philanthropist, and devoted adviser and supporter of NYU, most recently manifested in his inspiring gift to the Rory Meyers College of Nursing, now named in honor of his wife’s own nursing legacy.

 

Alan Fishman

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