Honorees | Commencement | Celebrating Howard University's Graduates

Congratulations to the Honorary Degree Recipients of 2025!

We are thrilled to announce the distinguished honorees for the 2025 Commencement Convocation, whose remarkable achievements and contributions span diverse fields of endeavor. From award-winning works of poetry to championing human rights, fighting for justice and opportunity, and groundbreaking medial research, these individuals exemplify excellence and inspire us with their dedication to service and innovation.

Join us in celebrating the extraordinary accomplishments of our honorees as we recognize their outstanding contributions to society and their respective fields. We invite you to explore their stories further and join us in honoring their remarkable achievements during this year's Commencement Convocation.

Commencement Orator and Candidate for Doctor of Humane Letters

LeVar Burton launched his acting career while still a student at the University of Southern California. At 19, he found himself on the cover of Time Magazine, after landing the groundbreaking role of Kunta Kinte in the landmark television series “Roots.” A seemingly impossible act to follow, Burton achieved further global acclaim as Chief Engineer Geordi La Forge in the iconic “Star Trek: The Next Generation” television series — a role he reprised in “Star Trek: Picard” in 2023. However, it has been his role as host and executive producer of the beloved PBS children's series “Reading Rainbow” of which he is most proud. Airing from 1983 to 2009, it was not only one of the longest-running children's television shows in history but also one of the most acclaimed, earning over 200 awards, including multiple Emmys and a Peabody.

Candidate for Honorary Doctor of Letters Degree

Natasha Trethewey served two terms as the 19th Poet Laureate of the United States (2012-2014). She is the author of five collections of poetry, including “Native Guard” (2006) — for which she was awarded the 2007 Pulitzer Prize — and more recently “Monument: Poems New and Selected” (2018); “Beyond Katrina: A Meditation on the Mississippi Gulf Coast” (2010), a book of nonfiction; “Memorial Drive: A Daughter’s Memoir,” (2020) an instant New York Times bestseller; and “The House of Being” (2024), a meditation on writing.

Candidate for Honorary Doctor of Science Degree

Emery N. Brown, M.D., Ph.D. is the Edward Hood Taplin Professor of Medical Engineering, a professor of health sciences and technology, and a professor of computational neuroscience at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is also the Warren M. Zapol Professor of Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School and an anesthesiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Read More About Emery N. Brown, M.D., Ph.D.

Candidate for Honorary Doctor of Laws Degree

Lilian Seenoi Barr is a political and community leader whose life has been defined by a deep commitment to justice, equality, and human rights. Born and raised in Kenya, she witnessed firsthand the challenges facing women, girls, and marginalized communities — an experience that ignited her passion for advocacy and change.

Candidate for Honorary Doctor of Laws

The Honorable Barbara Lee is the mayor-elect of Oakland, California. She is also the first Black woman to represent northern California in the state legislature and the U.S. Congress, where she served for nearly 40 years and chaired the Congressional Black Caucus; the Task Force on Poverty, Income Inequality, and Opportunity; and the Congressional Social Work Caucus, among other leadership posts.