Honorary Degrees

Dixie Yann

Former Member of the Board of Governors and Fairmont State Foundation 

Fall 2024 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Andrew "Mac" Warner

W.V. Secretary of State

Spring 2022 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Christopher Walker

Brigadier General, W.V. Air National Guard

Spring 2022 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Gary K. Bennett

Professor Emeritus

Spring 2022 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

James Justice

Governor of W.V.

Spring 2022 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

John B. "JB" McCuskey

W.V. State Auditor

Fall 2021 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Gayle Conelly Manchin

Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission

Spring 2021 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Shelley Moore Capito

U.S. Senator

Spring 2021 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Mike Ross

W.V. State Senator

Fall 2019 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Janet Dudley-Eshbach

Former President of Fairmont State College

Spring 2019 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Maria C. Rose

Former President of Fairmont State University

Spring 2019 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Grant Cooper

Artistic Director and Conductor of the WV Symphony Orchestra

Spring 2017 - Honorary Doctor of Letters 

Bruce Stanley

Partner at Stanley & Schmitt PC

Spring 2016 - Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters 

Don Hoylman

Owner and President of Industrial Engineering and Construction Company Co.

Winter 2011 - Honorary Doctor of Business

William Morris

President, Thrasher Engineering, Inc.

Winter 2011 - Honorary Doctor of Business

Datha A. Smith

Founder of the Datha Gene Charitable Foundation

Spring 2008 - Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters, Posthumous

Roman W. Presioso, Jr.

W.V. State Senator

Spring 2006 - Honorary Doctor of Civil Law

JoAnn Lough

Professor Emerita

Spring 2006 - Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts

Russell F. Bonasso

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired), U.S. Army Reserves

Fall 2006 - Honorary Doctor of Philanthropy

Richard Bowyer

Reverand

Spring 2005 - Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

William O. Morris

Educator, Scholar, and Author

Fall 2003 - Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Johnnie Johnson

Musician

Spring 2002 - Honorary Doctor of Music

Lloyd Jackson

W.V. State Senator

Spring 2002 - Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters

J. Davitt McAteer

Attorney and Author

Spring 1998 - Honorary Doctor of Law

William Gaston Caperton III 

Governor of W.V.

Spring 1996 - Honorary Doctor of Civil Law

Franklin D. Cleckley

Justice of the Supreme Court of Appeals of W.V.

Winter 1995 - Honorary Doctor of Civil Law

Barbara Harmon-Schamberger

W.V. Secretary of Education

Spring 1994 - Honorary Doctor of Civil Law

Alen B. Mollohan

U.S. Congressman

Spring 1994 - Honorary Doctor of Philanthropy

Henry G. Cisneros

U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development

Spring 1994 - Honorary Doctor of Public Affairs

Benjamin Hays Webb II

Attorney and Shinnston City Councilmember

Spring 1993 - Honorary Doctor of Law

Lamar Alexander

U.S. Secretary of Education

Spring 1993 - Honorary Doctor of Pedagogy

Robert C. Byrd

U.S. Senator

Spring 1991 - Honorary Doctor of Law