Honorary Degree

WORCESTER - In March, Anna Maria College withdrew its commencement speaking invitation to Victoria Reggie Kennedy after Bishop Robert J. McManus told school officials that the widow of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy was not an appropriate speaker because of her views on abortion, contraception, and gay marriage. Now, the bishop will not be attending the commencement either after he was asked by school officials on Thursday to skip the May 19 graduation exercises at the Hanover Theater for the Performing Arts because his appearance might be a distraction.

(David L. Ryan/Globe staff) Fareed Zakaria to Harvard graduates: "When we come together, when we put aside petty difference, when we cooperate, the results are astounding. " By Johanna Kaiser, Town Correspondent Acclaimed journalist and author Fareed Zakaria told graduating Harvard University students on Thursday that the world is in the midst of an "astonishing age of progress" that they can help shape. "When we come together, when we put aside petty difference, when we cooperate, the results are astounding," Zakaria,...

Michael Mayer , the Tony-winning director of "Spring Awakening" (and also of "American Idiot" and NBC's underwhelming musical drama "Smash"), received an honorary degree at Boston Conservatory's commencement over the weekend. Mayer also had a chance to chat with theater grads Chelsea Turbin and John Krause , both of whom are joining the national tour of "American Idiot" this summer.

Pats owner Robert Kraft was emotional Saturday as he accepted an honorary degree awarded posthumously by Brandeis to his late wife, Myra, at the school's commencement. . . . Hall of Fame running back John Riggins was at the Pine Street Inn Sunday, where he served venison tacos to the homeless as part of the Sportsman Channel's "Hunt.Fish.Feed. " program that uses game meat and fish donated by sportsmen to feed the hungry. . . . Gus and Scout - the five-piece band fronted by Gus Wenner (son of Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner and ex-wife Jane )

Baseball Hall of Famer Hank Aaron can add an honorary degree from Princeton University to his trophy case. The former home run record-holder was awarded an honorary doctorate of humanities for making America a better place with his “imperishable example of grace under pressure.’’ The university cited how he kept his cool while pursuing Babe Ruth’s home run record nearly 40 years ago. Princeton keeps its list of honorary degree...

Graduation season is upon us. Here is a rundown on commencement plans for some of the private colleges in Masssachusetts. For additions and corrections to the list, please e-mail Alli Knothe at AKnothe@globe.com. Amherst College Sunday, May 20, 10 a.m. on the college's main quad Speaker: Amherst President Biddy Martin Expected number of graduates: 443 Degrees awarded: BA Honorary degree recipients: CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour; Sheila Bair, former chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; playwright and gay-rights activist Martin...

Pats owner Robert Kraft was emotional Saturday as he accepted an honorary degree awarded posthumously by Brandeis to his late wife, Myra, at the school's commencement. . . . Hall of Fame running back John Riggins was at the Pine Street Inn Sunday, where he served venison tacos to the homeless as part of the Sportsman Channel's "Hunt.Fish.Feed. " program that uses game meat and fish donated by sportsmen to feed the hungry. . . . Gus and Scout - the five-piece band fronted by Gus Wenner (son of Rolling Stone magazine founder Jann Wenner and ex-wife Jane )

Robert Kraft was the featured speaker at Thursday's Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay event. The Pats owner, who was presented an award by BBBS CEO Wendy Foster , at one point sat down for a fireside chat - OK, it was an LED fire - with former Bruins defenseman Gord Kluzak . The evening's other honoree was Putnam Investments CEO Bob Reynolds , who received the John B. Pearson Excellence in Mentoring Award. These are busy days for Kraft. This weekend, he'll be at the Brandeis commencement accepting an honorary degree on behalf of...

By Justin A. Rice, Town Correspondent Salem State University announced its commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients on Friday afternoon for this spring, including House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Kenneth Feinberg, who oversees the payout fund for the Gulf Coast oil spill clean-up.  DeLeo, who is currently serving his second term as Massachusetts House speaker, will address bachelor's degree recipients from the College of Arts...

On the eve of Wheelock College's commencement, president Jackie Jenkins-Scott (right) hosted a dinner for the speakers and honorary degree recipients, including (from left) author Kathryn Lasky , actress and former NEA chairwoman Jane Alexander , and Grammy-nominated artist Wintley Phipps .

Robert Kraft was the featured speaker at Thursday's Big Brothers Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay event. The Pats owner, who was presented an award by BBBS CEO Wendy Foster , at one point sat down for a fireside chat - OK, it was an LED fire - with former Bruins defenseman Gord Kluzak . The evening's other honoree was Putnam Investments CEO Bob Reynolds , who received the John B. Pearson Excellence in Mentoring Award. These are busy days for Kraft. This weekend, he'll be at the Brandeis commencement accepting an honorary degree on behalf of his late wife, Myra , who was a...

Michael Mayer , the Tony-winning director of "Spring Awakening" (and also of "American Idiot" and NBC's underwhelming musical drama "Smash"), received an honorary degree at Boston Conservatory's commencement over the weekend. Mayer also had a chance to chat with theater grads Chelsea Turbin and John Krause , both of whom are joining the national tour of "American Idiot" this summer.

On the eve of Wheelock College's commencement, president Jackie Jenkins-Scott (right) hosted a dinner for the speakers and honorary degree recipients, including (from left) author Kathryn Lasky , actress and former NEA chairwoman Jane Alexander , and Grammy-nominated artist Wintley Phipps .

WORCESTER - In March, Anna Maria College withdrew its commencement speaking invitation to Victoria Reggie Kennedy after Bishop Robert J. McManus told school officials that the widow of the late Senator Edward M. Kennedy was not an appropriate speaker because of her views on abortion, contraception, and gay marriage. Now, the bishop will not be attending the commencement either after he was asked by school officials on Thursday to skip the May 19 graduation exercises at the Hanover Theater for the Performing Arts because his appearance might be a distraction.

Graduation season is upon us. Here is a rundown on commencement plans for some of the private colleges in Masssachusetts. For additions and corrections to the list, please e-mail Alli Knothe at AKnothe@globe.com. Amherst College Sunday, May 20, 10 a.m. on the college's main quad Speaker: Amherst President Biddy Martin Expected number of graduates: 443 Degrees awarded: BA Honorary degree recipients: CNN journalist Christiane Amanpour; Sheila Bair, former chairwoman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation; playwright and gay-rights activist...

The following was submitted by Tufts University: The Tufts University Department of Music presents a special Tufts Composers event, a concert entitled "In Front of My Eyes, A Celebration of Music by and for Thomas Jefferson Anderson" in the Distler Performance Hall at the Perry and Marty Granoff Music Center on Monday, March 12th, 2012 at 8 p.m.  With a title taken from his work In Front of My Eyes: An Obama Celebration (with...

Pat Greenhouse/Globe Staff CAMBRIDGE -- As she stood to receive her honorary degree at Harvard's graduation ceremony today, US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg was surprised when tenor Placido Domingo, who had just received his degree, burst into song. Sitting between them are commencement speaker and honorary degree recipient Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. Click here to see harvardmagazine.com's video of the moment. Originally published on the blog MetroDesk .

By Justin A. Rice, Town Correspondent Salem State University announced its commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients on Friday afternoon for this spring, including House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Kenneth Feinberg, who oversees the payout fund for the Gulf Coast oil spill clean-up.  DeLeo, who is currently serving his second term as Massachusetts House speaker, will address bachelor's degree recipients from the College of Arts...

The first name in funk, George Clinton, received an honorary degree from the folks at Berklee this week. The college celebrated the occasion - the culmination of Clinton's four-day residency at the school - with a performance by Berklee's P-Funk Ensemble. Afterward, Clinton, the mastermind behind Parliament and Funkadelic, traded his doctoral robes for a silver suit and joined students on "Testify," "Give Up the Funk," and "One Nation Under a Groove," among other P-Funk hits. Clinton was then accompanied by longtime horn players Bennie Cowan and...