Honorary Degrees

Dixie Yann

Former Member of the Board of Governors and Fairmont State Foundation 

Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Fall 2024

Andrew "Mac" Warner

W.V. Secretary of State

Honorary Doctor of Humanities

Spring 2022

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