Honorary Degrees Awarded by Portland State University 1976-2021

2021

Rukaiyah Adams, M.A., J.D. is the chief investment officer at Meyer Memorial Trust where her job is to grow and use the endowment in ways that align with the values of Meyer Memorial Trust. Adam's work touches people throughout the state and she believes that competent and equitable stewardship of investment capital is a form of social justice.

Brett Bigham, M.S. (2002) is a graduate of Portland State University College of Education and was the 2014 Oregon State Teacher of the Year. Bigham has been awarded the prestigious National Education Association Foundation Educator of Excellence award as well as being named the NEA LGBT Teacher Role Model of the Year.

Ronald D. Herndon, B.A. is a veteran Portland civil rights leader who earned his B.A. in history from Reed College in 1970 where he convinced the college to start a Black Studies program. The same year that he graduated he opened the Black Educational Center Portland. He is in his fifth decade fighting for racial justice both locally and nationally.

2020

Tawna D. Sanchez, MSW (2012) has spent her life working to strengthen our community. Born of Shoshone-Bannock, Ute, and Carrizo, Tawna grew up in Portland, and for many years has been a leader fighting for the rights of women, indigenous people, and the most vulnerable. She remains committed to standing up for social justice on the side of the oppressed and pushing to make our systems more equitable.

2019

Israel Bayer, Executive Director of Street Roots from 2006 through 2018 and an internationally known advocate for promoting large-scale change in the area of homelessness.

Jack Ohman, PSU alum and editorial cartoonist for the Sacramento Bee who received the Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Cartooning in 2016.

2017

Anas Al Saleh, PSU alum and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Finance and
Acting Minister of Oil to the State of Kuwait.

Earl Blumenauer (College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Commencement
Speaker), Member of the U.S. House of Representatives and leading advocate
for the environment, healthcare reform, honest trade, infrastructure, livable
communities and economic security for working families.

Phil Bogue, Former member of the PSU Foundation Board and managing
partner at Arthur Anderson responsible for opening the Portland office.
Gerry Cameron, Current President of the Cameron Foundation and retired US
Bank executive including CEO/Chairman from 1988 to 1998.

2016

Paul J. De Muniz, PSU alum and Distinguished Judge in Residence, Willamette
University. The Honorable Paul J. De Muniz was elected to the Oregon
Supreme Court in 2000 and served as the court's Chief Justice.

Jeffrey Sachs, Quetelet Professor of Sustainable Development and Professor
Health Policy and Management at Columbia University 

2014

Hassan Al-Ghanam, PSU alum and past Minister of Justice for Qatar

Duncan Campbell, Founder and Chairman Emeritus of The Campbell Group

Nicholas Kristof, New York Times columnist, author, two-time Pulitzer Prize winner

Lorey Lokey, Higher Education philanthropist and businessman

2012

Jean Auel, Novelist

Ken Thrasher, Portland businessman and volunteer