Honorary Degree & Commencement Speaker
2025 Honorary Degree Recipients
Sandra Cisneros, 2025 Commencement Speaker & Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters
Sandra Cisneros will deliver the address at Franklin & Marshall’s 238th Commencement and also will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Sandra is a noted author and activist who is a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico.
Jonathan Groff, 2025 Honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts
Lancaster native Jonathan Groff, who has earned a Tony Award and a Grammy Award, will be recognized by F&M with an honorary doctorate of fine arts. Jonathan has collaborated with F&M students, alumni and faculty, especially those associated with the Philadelphia Alumni Writers House.
Danene Sorace, 2025 Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters
Danene Sorace, the 43rd mayor of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, will receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters at Franklin & Marshall’s 238th Commencement. She has served as the city’s mayor since her election in 2018, winning re-election in 2021. She is only the second woman to serve as Lancaster’s mayor.
The Selection Process
A Committee on Honorary Degrees invites the F&M community to submit nominations year-round by completing the Honorary Degree & Commencement Speaker form. This committee is comprised of faculty, administrative staff, and students to advise the F&M President on a slate of honorary degree nominations, including the Commencement speaker, for final approval by the Board of Trustees. The nomination and recommendation process shall remain confidential until the invitation is made by the President of the College and is accepted by the recipient. Honorary degrees are typically not awarded in absentia and posthumously. F&M does not provide an honoraria with an honorary degree.
Nomination Requirements
Candidates are to represent the College's mission and foremost ideals and values. In keeping with our values of community, innovation, excellence, leadership, service, loyalty, philanthropy, and tradition, the College grants honorary degrees to recognize transformational leadership or distinctive accomplishment in the following areas:
- the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities
- the creative and performing arts
- the professions, including education
- service to humanity of national or international significance
Candidates for Commencement Speaker shall be persons of distinction and observe characteristics that the College deems admirable and worthy of emulation, representing a presence that is intended to provide instruction and inspiration to students.
The committee seeks year-round nominations from the F&M Community. All nominations may be considered for a period of up to five years. All nominations must include contextual information for each nominee and only completed form nominations will be fully considered by the committee. In keeping with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania code on honorary degree restrictions members of the F&M faculty, faculty emeriti, administrative officers and staff, nor members of the Board of Trustees may be considered for an honorary degree.
Jason Cone '99, Commencement Speaker 2024
Awarded on the basis of a vote by the faculty, the Williamson Medal is the highest
student award presented each year at the Commencement ceremonies. Williamson Medal