Honorary Degrees Awarded by Bellarmine University

2025

  • Sandra Frazier, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • William Eugene Mudd ‘93, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Susan Michelle Mudd ’93, Doctor of Humane Letters

2024

  • Mike Hobbs '71, Doctor of Humane Letters 
  • Shelton Fabre, Doctor of Humane Letters

2023

  • Nick '69 and Gency '70 Carosi, Doctor of Humane Letters 
  • Mary Gwen Wheeler, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Mark and Cindy Lynn, Doctor of Humane Letters

2022

  • Russel F. Cox, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Michael J. Stone, Doctor of Humane Letters

2021

  • John F. Lansing, Doctor of Humane Letters

2019

  • Dr. Carole C. Pfeffer, Doctor of Humane Letters

2018

  • Susan M. Cameron, Doctor of Humane Letters

2017

  • W. Patrick Mulloy II, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Leonard M. & Susan M. Spalding, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • The Most Rev. Charles C. Thompson, Doctor of Humane Letters

2016

  • Joseph P. Clayton, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Fr. J. Ronald Knott, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • The Most Rev. Joseph E. Kurtz, Doctor of Humane Letters

2015

  • Michael B. McCallister, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Rabbi Joseph Rapport, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Marian A. Swope, Doctor of Humane Letters

2014

  • Roger Rosenblatt, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Tom Thomas, Doctor of Humane Letters

2013

  • Rev. Dr. Kevin W. Cosby, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Joseph & Carol Ferguson, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Lt. Col. Kenny Lynn Harryman, Doctor of Humane Letters

2012

  • Hon. David L. Armstrong, Doctor of Laws
  • Hon. Steve Beshear, Doctor of Laws
  • Hon. Mitch Daniels, Doctor of Laws
  • Mr. Bradford T. Ray, Doctor of Humane Letters

2011

  • Jerry E. Abramson, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • C. Edward Glasscock, Doctor of Laws
  • T. William Samuels, Jr., Doctor of Laws

2010

  • Dr. Margaret Mahoney, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Robert F. Sexton, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Lee B. Thomas, Doctor of Humane Letters

2009

  • Bishop John J. McRaith, Doctor of Divinity
  • Wendy Whelan, Doctor of Arts
  • John Cranor, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Bob Edwards, Doctor of Humane Letters

2008

  • Rt. Rev. Edwin F. Gulick, Doctor of Divinity
  • Curt Tofteland, Doctor of Humane Letters

2007

  • William P. Bradford, Doctor of Arts
  • Wendell Berry, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Stan Curtis, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Joan Cralle Day, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Most Rev. Thomas C. Kelly, OP, Doctor of Humane Letters

2006

  • Nolen C. Allen, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Ina Brown Bond, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Sr. Helen Prejean, SCJ, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Mr. Mason C. Rudd, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Joseph E. Stopher, Doctor of Laws

2005

  • Dr. Lawrence S. Cunningham, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Hon. Wendell H. Ford, Doctor of Laws
  • James R. Gaunt, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Sr. Mary Kathleen Sheehan, SCN, Doctor of Humane Letters

2004

  • Wade H. Hall, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Michael Harreld, Doctor of Laws
  • Sr. Sarah Stauble, OSU, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Richard D. Thurman, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Theodore R. Wade, Jr., Doctor of Humane Letters

2003

  • Dr. Robert Giroux, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Parker Palmer, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Bro. Patrick Hart, O.C.S.O., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Hon. Richard FitzGerald, Doctor of Laws
  • Owsley & Christy Brown, Doctor of Humane Letters

2002

  • Hon. Romano L. Mazzoli, Doctor of Laws
  • Morton Boyd, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Lee H. Hamilton, Doctor of Laws
  • Seamus Heaney, Doctor of Humane Letters

2001

  • Dr. John H. Ford, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • John J. Guarnaschelli, M.D., Doctor of Science
  • Brother James M. Kelly, C.F.X., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Helen Veliky Petrik, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Sr. Mary Luke Tobin, SL, Doctor of Humane Letters

2000

  • Dr. Joseph Charles Burke, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Abby Hughes Fife, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Patricia Lowman, OSU, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • James Louis Meagher, Doctor of Humane Letters

1999

  • Sharon K. Darling, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Samuel Robinson, Doctor of Humane Letters

1998

  • Damian Paul Alagia, Jr., Doctor of Laws
  • Dr. James E. Muller, Doctor of Humane Letters

1997

  • Galway Kinnell, Doctor of Humane Letters

1996

  • Dr. Arthur H. Keeney, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Bishop Charles G. Maloney, Doctor of Humane Letters

1995

  • Owsley B. Frazier, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Donald C. Swain, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Elaine L. Chao, Doctor of Humane Letters

1994

  • Sister Eileen M. Egan, SCN, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Jon Jory, Doctor of Arts
  • Laramie L. Leatherman, Doctor of Laws (posthumously)
  • Arthur M. Walters, Doctor of Humane Letters

1993

  • Bro. Edward Driscoll, C.F.X., Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Bruce L. Ferguson, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Eugene V. Petrik, Doctor of Humane Letters (posthumously)

1992

  • James A. Patterson, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Sr. Angelice Seibert, O.S.U., Doctor of Humane Letters

1991

  • Thomas C. Boysen, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Jane M. Norton, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Rev. Vernon Robertson, Doctor of Humane Letters

1990

  • Dr. Roy L. Honeycutt, Doctor of Letters
  • Dr. John Mulder, Doctor of Letters
  • Rabbi Simcha Kling, Doctor of Letters

1989

  • Mary Caperton Bingham, Doctor of Letters
  • Amelia Brown Frazier, Doctor of Letters
  • H. Edward O'Daniel, Jr., Doctor of Laws

1988

  • Maurice D. S. Johnson, Doctor of Letters
  • Robert H. Michels, Doctor of Laws
  • Wilson W. Wyatt, Sr., Doctor of Laws

1987

  • James Laughlin, Doctor of Letters
  • Lyman T. Johnson, Doctor of Letters
  • Johannes Cardinal Willebrandes, Doctor of Letters

1986

  • Mr. Lionel Hampton, Doctor of Humane Letters
  • Dr. Scott D. Thomson, Doctor of Letters

1985

  • Dr. Allan M. Lansing, Doctor of Humane Letters

1984

  • Fr. Bruce Ritter, OFM Conv., Doctor of Letters

1983

  • Joshua B. Everett, Doctor of Letters

1981

  • Kenneth A. Barker, Jr., Doctor of Laws

1980

  • Robinson S. Brown, Jr., Doctor of Laws

1978

  • Archbishop Jean Jadot, Doctor of Laws
  • Rev. John A. Lyons, Doctor of Letters
  • Col. Harland Sanders, Doctor of Laws

1977

  • Rev. Hilary H. Gottbrath, OFM Conv., Doctor of Laws

1976

  • Cornelius E. Hubbuch, Doctor of Laws
  • Samuel H. Klein, Doctor of Laws
  • Prof. Leonard Latkovski, Doctor of Letters

1975

  • Rev. Msgr. Alfred F. Horrigan, Doctor of Laws
  • Rev. Msgr. Raymond J. Treece, Doctor of Laws

1974

  • Vernon J. Bourke, Doctor of Letters

1973

  • Joseph F. Cullman, III, Doctor of Laws
  • Woodrow M. Strickler, Doctor of Laws
  • Paul M. Weiss, Doctor of Laws

1971

  • Rev. Msgr. John F. Murphy, Doctor of Laws
  • Carl D. Perkins, Doctor of Laws

1970

  • W. L. Lyons Brown, Doctor of Laws
  • John Howard Griffin, Doctor of Laws

1969

  • Barry Bingham, Sr., Doctor of Laws
  • Archibald P. Cochran, Doctor of Laws
  • Thruston B. Morton, Doctor of Laws

1968

  • John Cardinal Krol, Doctor of Letters

1967

  • Philip Grant Davidson, Doctor of Letters

1963

  • Daniel Clark Walsh, Doctor of Letters

1961

  • Roy J. Deferrari, Doctor of Letters
  • Rt. Rev. Msgr. Felix N. Pitt, Doctor of Laws
  • Alphonsus J. Lesousky, Doctor of Laws
  • Thomas E. Murray, Doctor of Letters
  • Robert M. Watt, Doctor of Letters