Six Honorary Degrees Awarded at Princeton’s 2025 Commencement

Princeton recognized six individuals, including two emeritus faculty, with honorary doctorates at Commencement.

Joshua Boger, a leader in biotechnology, was recognized for the innovative research of the company he founded, Vertex Pharmaceuticals, which has developed treatments for cystic fibrosis and sickle cell anemia.

Lex Frieden

Courtesy of Scott Dalton

Lex Frieden, whose work as executive director of the National Council on Disability drove the development of the Americans with Disabilities Act, was honored in absentia for his ongoing contributions on behalf of disability rights.

Sherrilyn Ifill, a civil rights lawyer for the NAACP and founding director of Howard University’s 14th Amendment Center for Law and Democracy, received a doctor of laws degree for legal and educational leadership.

Nancy Weiss Malkiel, the University’s longest serving dean of the college and the first woman faculty member in the history department, was cited for wide-ranging contributions that “enriched the lives of generations of Princetonians.”

Daniel Chee Tsui, a Nobel laureate and emeritus professor of electrical and computer engineering at Princeton, discovered a physical effect that “sparked technological innovations that have benefitted humanity,” according to his degree citation. 

Omar M. Yaghi, a pioneer in materials science currently teaching at the University of California, Berkeley, developed the field of reticular chemistry, helping scientists find new ways to address environmental problems such as water scarcity.

The Class of 2025 inducted five honorary classmates during its Class Day program: guest speaker Jay Shetty; Melanie Ibarra, student organization program coordinator in the Office of the Dean of Undergraduate Students; Julie Gerek-Sefa, undergraduate administrator in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering; Catalina Maldonado-Lopez, food service worker for Campus Dining; and Chelsie Berg-Geist, assistant director of the Emma Bloomberg Center for Access and Opportunity.