Honorary degree recipients to address grads

Three of five honorary degree recipients will deliver the ‘Charge to the Graduates’ at ceremonies May 20-21.

Related resource: Commencement details

Honorary degrees will be awarded at the ceremony for Ph.D., professional and master of fine arts degree candidates Friday, May 19. Multiple Tony Award-winning actress Uta Hagen will speak to Letters and Science bachelor’s and master’s candidates at both the 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. ceremonies on Saturday, May 20. Hagen attended the UW before continuing her theatrical training with Eva Le Gallienne. During a half-century of teaching, Hagen has worked with stars such as Mathew Broderick, Whoopi Goldberg, Jack Lemon and others.

Harvey K. Littleton, who founded the studio glass movement while on the UW faculty, will address bachelor’s and master’s candidates in agricultural and life sciences, education, human ecology, medicine, nursing, pharmacy and the Institute for Environmental Studies Sunday, May 21 at 10 a.m. The White House, Victoria and Albert Museum in London, Smithsonian Institution, Museum of Modern Art and other respected museums and galleries hold Littletons in their permanent collections, and he has exhibited around the world and across the country.

Ernest S. Micek, who earned a degree in chemical engineering from the UW in 1959, was instrumental in transforming the Cargill Corp. from a commodities producer to a global distributor of processed food. He will speak to bachelor’s and master’s candidates in business and engineering Sunday, May 21 at 2 p.m.

In addition to Hagen, Littleton and Micek, international economic development leader Ali Ahmed Attiga (Ph.D. ’59) and surgeon-cartographer Seymour Schwartz (B.A. ’47) also will receive honorary degrees Friday, May 19, at 5:30 p.m.

All ceremonies will be in the Kohl Center. For information, call the Commencement Hotline, (608) 262-9076.