Honorary degrees
University confers honorary degrees on Bullinger, Colman, Kullman, Steele
4:30 p.m., May 31, 2014--Four distinguished individuals were recognized with honorary doctoral degrees during the University of Delaware’s 165th Commencement ceremonies held Saturday, May 31, at Delaware Stadium.
"The Honorary Degree is the highest honor bestowed by the University of Delaware, and is reserved as a recognition of true distinction," said Gil Sparks, chairman of the University's Board of Trustees. "Today it is my pleasure to bestow this honor on four outstanding individuals who make up the University’s Honorary Degree Class of 2014."
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From graduates, faculty
Doctoral hooding
Honorees and their degrees are:
Hans-Jörg Bullinger, president of Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft, doctor of science. Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft is one of Europe’s largest applied research organizations, and is a valued partner with UD’s Delaware Biotechnology Institute. The Fraunhofer Center for Molecular Biotechnology is affiliated with DBI.
Roberta F. Colman, UD faculty member in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, doctor of science. Colman, a pioneer in the field who devoted herself to the assistance of women and minority scientists, joined the University faculty in 1973 and won honors from the American Chemistry Society and the American Society of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology. In 1985 she received the Francis Alison Award, UD's highest competitive faculty honor.
Ellen Kullman, CEO of DuPont, doctor of science. Kullman has had a 25-year career at DuPont and became the company’s first female chief executive officer in 2009. She has said the future “is going to be about integrating the sciences.”
Myron T. Steele, former chief justice of the Supreme Court of Delaware, doctor of laws. Steele was an attorney for 18 years and served as a judge for 25, joining the state Supreme Court in 2000 and becoming chief justice several years later. It was a position he held until 2013.
Related stories and resources
• UD held its 165th Commencement ceremony under sunny skies on Saturday.
• Follow the conversation on social media by checking out UD’s Commencement Storify page.
• See Commencement photographs at UD in Photos.
• A video of Commencement is available.
• Ten members of the Class of 2014 were honored as high index seniors, with perfect grade point averages.
• Commencement was thrice as nice for the Manning family.
• A doctoral hooding ceremony was held on Friday.
• The UD Honors Program held a celebratory breakfast on Friday.
Photos by Evan Krape and Kathy F. Atkinson