Columbia to Confer Honorary Degrees on Two Higher Education Trailblazers at its May 2024 Commencement
Graduates at the 2023 Columbia College Chicago Commencement As part of its celebration of the graduating class of 2024, Columbia College Chicago will confer honorary degrees on two prominent local higher education leaders at its upcoming Commencement exercises. Dr. Nivine Megahed, president of National Louis University, and Dr. Raymond E. Crossman, president of Adler University and a trailblazer for LGBTQ presidents in higher education, will receive the degree of Doctor of Arts, honoris causa, and address the graduates, their families, and others in attendance on Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12, respectively.
Over the course of Commencement Weekend, Columbia will hold four in-person Commencement ceremonies at the Arie Crown Theatre, located in the Lakeside Center at McCormick Place.
“This May, we celebrate an exceptional class of undergraduate and graduate students from across the globe who successfully navigated the complex challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic and developed and refined their creative voice during their time at Columbia,” said President and CEO Kwang-Wu Kim. “Nivine Megahed and Ray Crossman embody Columbia’s values as higher education leaders and as advocates for social justice. We are delighted to recognize both honorees at Commencement and look forward to hearing the stories and reflections that they will share with our graduates.”
Dr. Nivine Megahed is an educational entrepreneur who has spent more than 35 years in higher education focused on empowering marginalized populations to achieve social and economic mobility through education. She has served as the president of National Louis University since 2010.
Dr. Raymond E. Crossman is a social justice advocate, educator, and psychologist who has served as president of Adler University for more than twenty years, making him one of the longest serving higher education presidents in the United States and Canada. He writes and teaches about leadership and diversity, and his 2022 book, LGBTQ Leadership in Higher Education, is the first published book of its kind.
Four graduating students (one per ceremony) selected in a campus-wide competition will deliver an address to their peers at Commencement, and the work of the student winners of the annual Commencement poetry and photography competitions will also be showcased at the ceremonies.
History of Honorary Degrees at Columbia
Since 1964, Columbia College Chicago has conferred honorary degrees on hundreds of notable individuals in entertainment arts, education, politics, and journalism. Buddy Guy, Russell Simmons, Harold Washington, and Maya Angelou are among the outstanding honorees whose life and work embodies the college’s ideals. You can find more information on the past honorary degree recipients here.
More About the Current Recipients
Nivine Megahed, PhD, is an educational entrepreneur whose passion is building innovative student-centered organizations focused on student success and empowering marginalized populations to achieve social and economic mobility through education. Since 2010, Megahed has served as the 11th president of National Louis University, a 137-year-old institution recognized for its leadership in professional preparation across a broad set of disciplines and for its commitment to closing the post-secondary attainment gap through cost effective, scalable models of education. Dr. Megahed earned her bachelor's degree in psychology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Her master and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology were earned at the University of Rochester.
Raymond E. Crossman, PhD, is a social justice advocate, educator, and psychologist who has served as president of Adler University for over twenty years. He writes and teaches about leadership and diversity, and his 2022 book, LGBTQ Leadership in Higher Education, is the first on this topic. He serves on several civic and professional boards and was recently recognized with the Amplifier Award from Chicago Public Media and the Visionary Leadership Award from Haymarket Center. In 2017, Dr. Crossman became the first university president to disclose his HIV status publicly, using his personal story to advocate for marginalized communities. Dr. Crossman received his B.S., summa cum laude, in Psychology and Fine Arts from Fordham University, earned his M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Temple University, and studied at Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic.
Commencement Ceremony Times
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