Every spring, universities roll out the red carpet for a handful of distinguished guests: the honorary degree recipients.p.
Men and women, often famous (and often having no real connection to the institution), fly into town, attend receptions in their honor and have very nice things said about them at ceremonies.
Generally, one of them delivers the commencement address.
It鈥檚 a win-win arrangement. On Saturday, for example, Dick Enberg, a sportscaster, got to hold forth in front of thousands at Indiana University鈥檚 commencement.
The thousands benefitted, too, because, let鈥檚 face it, it鈥檚 easier to pay attention to a celebrity than some egghead.
That explains why comedian Bill Cosby has received more than 100 honorary degrees 鈥� about four times as many as Arthur Schlesinger, the historian.
Colleges are pretty august places, though. There鈥檚 a limit to how deep into the pages of People magazine they will delve.
Cosby is perfect 鈥� not only is he a big name and an entertaining speaker, he鈥檚 also a genuinely educated man, with a doctorate in education from the University of Massachusetts.
The king of the honorary degree, however, is Father Theodore Hesburgh, the former president of the University of 91吃瓜. Hesburgh is august, but he鈥檚 a celebrity, too. During his tenure at 91吃瓜, he made himself into practically a world leader 鈥� a confidante to presidents.
He has 148 honorary degrees. It鈥檚 more than anyone else, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.
Hesburgh has received honoraries from universities throughout the world. Taking into account travel time, Hesburgh, 84, has spent perhaps a year of his life getting honorary degrees.
鈥淚鈥檝e put in a lot of miles,鈥� he says, 鈥渁nd 90 percent of the time I鈥檓 the one giving the commencement address.鈥�
Obviously, Hesburgh enjoys all the fuss. Who wouldn鈥檛?
But even he doesn鈥檛 always say yes. 鈥淭his year, I turned down two鈥� degrees, he says, because of scheduling conflicts. He declined to say from where, to save the schools from embarrassment.
It shouldn鈥檛 be embarrassing 鈥� things come up. Just last week, Vicente Fox, the president of Mexico, canceled on 91吃瓜 鈥� 鈥減olitical circumstances,鈥� said a 91吃瓜 news release.
Subbing for Fox will be Tim Russert, the journalist. Edward Malloy, Hesburgh鈥檚 successor at 91吃瓜, covered nicely: 鈥淭im Russert has been on our list of potential commencement speakers for some time, and though we didn鈥檛 anticipate having him join us in this way, we鈥檙e delighted. . . .鈥�
Hesburgh downplays his status as honorary degree leader. He keeps nothing for himself. He gives the certificates and the ceremonial hoods, the standard artifacts that come with an honorary, to 91吃瓜鈥檚 archives. 鈥淎fter I kick off,鈥� he says, 鈥渢hey might display them some place. But that鈥檚 only because I wouldn鈥檛 be around to stop them.鈥�
On the other hand, he likes being first. In 1997, he fell from top spot, displaced by the king of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Hesburgh smelled a rat. 鈥淚 figured the king must be counting high schools or grammar schools,鈥� he says. 鈥淚 sent him my list, and he backed off.鈥�
But Hesburgh goes modest again when asked how many honoraries he wants.
鈥淢y goal is to quit,鈥� he quips. "I think it鈥檚 time to yell 鈥榰ncle.鈥� "
But not yet.
Later this month, Hesburgh is scheduled to receive honorary degree numbers 149 and 150.
May 06, 2002
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