This list of Florida State University honorary degree recipients includes notable persons who have been recognized by Florida State University for outstanding achievements in their fields that reflect the ideals and uphold the purposes of the university, and to whom the university faculty has voted to award honorary degrees in recognition of such attainments. Often, but not always, the honorary degree recipients have been alumni of the university, or have had ties to either the university or the state of Florida.[1]
Florida State University awarded its first honorary degree in 1912 to Rowena Longmire, founder and president of the Florida State College for Women (FSCW) Alumni Association. The first man to whom the university awarded an honorary degree was French diplomat and ambassador to the United States Henri Bonnet in 1950.[2]
According to the Faculty Handbook, the goal of honorary degrees is to honor persons of outstanding achievement who have gained national and/or international recognition and made a significant contribution to the United States, Florida or Florida State University through scholarly, creative, public, business, or humane endeavors. Consideration of current FSU employees or board members is only given under exceptional circumstances.
Anyone connected to the university may nominate an individual to the committee, but the nominations must be accompanied by supportive documentation including: a resume, Curriculum vitae or biographical sketch; an explanation as to why an award should be given; and names and addresses of three distinguished persons willing and able to provide an objective evaluation of the nomination. Letters of recommendation from three distinguished persons may be submitted instead of the explanation and names & addresses.
The University Honorary Degree Committee members and a chair are appointed by the university president to represent the educational community. As an advisory committee, they review each candidate's information and the committee votes up or down. A majority of committee members must be present. If the committee approves, the candidate becomes a nomination and is submitted to the president. If not approved, the candidate's information is removed from consideration. The president selects the recipients from a group of nominees for an honorary degree. Nominees not selected the first year are resubmitted the following year along with new nominations. If the nomination is not selected the second year, the nomination is removed from consideration and must be resubmitted to the committee.
| Recipient | Year/degree | Notability | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rowena Longmire | 1912 M.A. | Education | |
| Ruth Bryan Owen Rhode | 1935 LL.D. | Public Service | |
| 1950 D.H.L. | International affairs | ||
| 1950 D.Sc. | Medicine | ||
| Wouter Bleeker | 1952 D.Sc. | Science | |
| William Morrison Robinson, Jr. | 1955 D.H. | History | |
| Millard Fillmore Caldwell | 1956 LL.D. | Public Service | |
| LeRoy Collins | 1956 LL.D. | Public Service | |
| William George Dodd | 1956 D.Litt. | Education | |
| Spessard Lindsey Holland | 1956 LL.D. | Public Service | |
| 1956 D.Litt. | Literature | ||
| 1957 LL.D. | Education | ||
| 1957 Mus.D. | Music | ||
| 1957 LL.D. | Public Service | ||
| J. Velma Keen | 1959 LL.D. | Business | |
| Cyril O. Houle | 1960 LL.D. | Education | |
| 1961 D.Sc. | Science | ||
| Vivian Ahlsweh Williams | 1961 D.Litt. | Literature | |
| 1962 D.Sc. | Science | ||
| 1962 LL.D. | Business/Public Service | ||
| 1963 Mus.D. | Music | ||
| 1963 LL.D. | Business/Public Service | ||
| 1963 D.F.A. | Art | ||
| 1964 LL.D. | Public Service | ||
| Edwin A. Menninger | 1964 D.Sc. | Science | |
| Dorothy Barclay Thompson | 1964 D.H.L. | Journalism | |
| Arthur Statan Adams | 1965 LL.D. | Science/Public Service/Education | |
| 1965 LL.D. | Law/Business | ||
| 1965 D.Sc. | Science | ||
| 1968 D.Sc. | Medicine | ||
| 1968 D.F.A. | Art/Education | ||
| 1968 Mus.D. | Music | ||
| 1969 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1969 Mus.D. | Music | ||
| 1970 LL.D. | Public Service | ||
| Audrey Wood Liebling | 1970 D.H.L. | Literature | |
| 1970 Mus.D. | Music | ||
| 1970 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1971 D.F.A. | Architecture | ||
| Ed V. Komarek | 1971 D.Sc. | Science | |
| 1972 D.H. | Education | ||
| 1972 D.H. | Poetry | ||
| 1973 D.H.L. | History | ||
| 1973 D.Sc. | Science | ||
| 1973 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1973 D.Sc. | Science | ||
| 1975 D.Sc. | Humanities | ||
| 1975 D.H.L. | Theatre | ||
| 1975 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| Chester H. Ferguson | 1976 D.H.L. | Education/Public Service | |
| 1976 D.H.L. | Education/Law | ||
| Mae Knight Clark | 1977 D.H.L. | Education | |
| 1977 D.F.A. | Theatre | ||
| 1977 D.Sc. | Science/Education | ||
| 1978 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1978 LL.D. | International Affairs | ||
| William H. Werkmeister | 1978 D.H.L. | Philosophy | |
| 1979 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1979 D.Litt. | Literature | ||
| 1980 D.H.L. | Public Service/Law | ||
| 1981 D.H.L. | Theatre | ||
| 1982 D.H.L. | Theatre | ||
| 1983 LL.D. | Public Service | ||
| Beth Walton Moor | 1983 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 1983 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | ||
| 1984 D.H.L. | Public Service/Education | ||
| 1984 D.Sc. | Medicine | ||
| 1985 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1986 D.Sc. | Public Service/Science | ||
| Daisy Parker Flory | 1986 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 1986 D.H.L. | Theatre | ||
| 1988 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| Toshiaki Ogasawara | 1988 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 1989 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | ||
| 1989 D.H.L. | Finance/Public Service | ||
| D. Burke Kibler | 1990 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | |
| 1991 Mus.D. | Music | ||
| 1991 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | ||
| Robert Edward Turner, III | 1991 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | |
| Marguerite Neel Williams | 1991 D.H.L. | Modern Languages | |
| Ada Belle Winthrop-King | 1991 D.H.L. | Theatre | |
| Louise Ireland Humphrey | 1992 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 1992 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1993 D.H.L. | Public Broadcasting | ||
| 1993 D.Sc. | Public Service | ||
| 1994 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1994 D.E.Sc. | Space Science/Engineering | ||
| 1994 D.H.L. | Civil Rights | ||
| 1995 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1996 D.Sc. | Marine Science | ||
| 1996 D.Sc. | Mathematics | ||
| Russell V. Ewald | 1997 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 1997 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1997 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 1997 D.H.L. | Business | ||
| 1997 LL.D. | Public Service | ||
| 1997 D.H.L. | Education | ||
| Rod M. Brim, Sr | 1998 D.H.L. | Business | |
| 1998 LL.D. | U.S. Supreme Court | ||
| 1998 D.H.L. | Business | ||
| Mart Pierson Hill | 1999 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 1999 D.H.L. | Business | ||
| Thomas F. Petway, III | 1999 D.H.L. | Business | |
| 2000 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| 2001 D.F.A. | Dance/Theatre/Film | ||
| Reid B. Hughes | 2001 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | |
| 2002 D.H.L. | Medicine/Public Service | ||
| Herbert F. Morgan | 2003 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| DeVoe L. Moore | 2005 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | |
| 2005 D.H.L. | Music/Opera | ||
| Jim Shore | 2005 LL.D. | Business/Public Service | |
| 2006 D.H.L. | Broadcasting & Journalism | ||
| Mary Lou Norwood | 2007 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 2007 D.H.L. | Business | ||
| 2007 D.H.L. | Chemistry | ||
| 2007 D.Sc. | Chemistry | ||
| Edward W. Rabin | 2007 M.B.A. | Business | |
| 2008 D.H.L. | Medicine | ||
| Charles A. Smith | 2008 M.B.A. | Business | |
| 2009 LL.D. | Public Service | ||
| 2012 D.H.L. | Media and Communication | ||
| 2012 D.H.L. | Evolutionary Biology | ||
| Judith A. Dunlap | 2012 D.H.L. | Philanthropy | |
| 2012 Mus.D. | Music | ||
| Margaret "Maggie" Allesee | 2013 D.H.L. | Choreography | |
| 2014 D.H.L. | Athletics/Public Service | ||
| 2014 D.H.L. | Public Service | ||
| Lucy Ho | 2015 D.H.L. | Public Service | |
| 2016 D.H.L. | Art | ||
| Grace Dansby | 2016 D.H.L. | Philanthropy/Public Service | |
| Allan G. Bense[4] | 2019 D.H.L. | Business/Public Service | |
| William T. Hold[5] | 2021 D.H.L. | Business/Insurance |