Honorary degrees honor values

Aretha Franklin is well-known for wanting some respect.

And this year, she's going to get it.

The University has amassed a diverse group of honorary degrees recipients for May's Commencement, including Franklin.

These recipients, who are not necessarily affiliated with Penn, tend to have made long strides in their respective fields.

And though some may be less well known than others, officials say all seven of this year's recipients personify the values Penn tries to stress with its choices.

"It's a way for the University to recognize . individuals who reflect the ideals of the University," said University Secretary Leslie Kruhly, who is heavily involved in the process of selecting honorary degree recipients.

Kruhly stressed that having a variety of backgrounds is important, too.

"We try to get diversity in the fields in which they work, but also geographic [and] ethnic so . we have a mix of people," she said.

As far as the recipients are concerned, these goals make sense.

"Making wonderful music and writing wonderful books . are just as important ways of making contributions as a more direct kind of politics," Bynum said.

Donations are another factor to consider.

"I think that there has to be an aspect of fundraising, honoring people who have been very generous to the University, or will be very generous in the future," said Judith Klinman, a University of California, Berkeley professor who received an award last year.

The University's Committee on Honorary Degrees reviews suggestions - which can be submitted by anyone - and recommends several nominees to a committee of Trustees for discussion and finalization.

"We look for people who can bring honor to this University while we bring honor to them," said David Brownlee, chairman of the Committee on Honorary Degrees.

And some recipients say these degrees have a large amount of potential to educate students.

"Honorary degrees . pass on a message . about how [students] may pursue their own careers," Klinman said.

"What was really the most fun for me was looking at students, because that's our future," said Nancy Woods, 2005 degree recipient and Dean of the University of Washington School of Nursing.

"They really wanted us to have a chance to interact with Penn students," said Woods, who also gave an address at the School of Nursing's commencement ceremony.

This year's degrees, awarded at Commencement, will go to former Secretary of State James Baker, singer Aretha Franklin, Atlanta mayor Shirley Franklin and Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Penn professor emeritus Aaron Temkin Beck, Caroline Bynum, a History professor at the Institute for Advanced Study's School of Historical Studies, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor Mildred Dresselhaus.

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