The tradition of awarding honorary degrees at The American University of Rome began in 1994. Honorary degrees are the most significant recognition conferred by the university and recipients are selected by a panel that includes members of the board of trustees, the university President, and the institution's faculty. The awarding of an honorary degree marks the recipent as an individual who has pioneered achievement in a field or has conspicuously contributed to the common good.

Honorary degree recipients serve as examples to our graduates, encouraging them to aspire to excellence and to value the particular traits of academic or cultural achievement that they embody. 

 

2021-2024
Carlo Petrini
Carlo Petrini
Journalist, activist, & founder of the international Slow Food
Jhumpa Lahiri
Jhumpa Lahiri
Pulitzer Prize-winning author
Andrea Canepari
Andrea Canepari
Diplomat and author
Stanley Tucci
Stanley Tucci
American actor, writer, producer, and former model
Dr. Mark Getty
Mark Getty
Co-founder and chairman of Getty Images
 

 

2011-2020
David H. Thorne
David H. Thorne
American Businessman and former US Ambassador to Italy
Francesco Guccini
Francesco Guccini
Italian singer, poet, and Songwriter
Emmanuele F.M. Emanuele
Emmanuele F.M. Emanuele
Honorary Chairman Fondazione Roma
Donna Shalala
Donna Shalala
US Congresswoman and former President of the University of Miami
Adele Chatfield Taylor
Adele Chatfield Taylor
Arts Administrator and former President of the American Academy in Rome
Salvatore Mancuso
Salvatore Mancuso
President of Equinox and former Vice-President of Alitalia
Andrea Camilleri
Andrea Camilleri
Novelist
Roger Waters
Roger Waters
English songwriter, singer, bassist, and composer
Mary Beard
Mary Beard
English scholar of Ancient Roman civilisation
Aurelio De Laurentiis
Aurelio De Laurentiis
Film Producer and Chairman of Napoli Football Club
Paolo Sorrentino
Paolo Sorrentino
Italian film director, screenwriter and writer
Alice Waters
Alice Waters
American chef, restaurateur, and author
Oscar Farinetti
Oscar Farinetti
Italian businessman and investor. Founder of Eataly
Harry Shindler, MBE
Harry Shindler
Author and campaigner for veterans of WWII
Laura Boldrini
Laura Boldrini
Italian politician and former United Nations official. Served as President of the Chamber of Deputies of Italy
Lynn Meskell
Lynn Meskell
Professor, Department of Anthropology, Stanford University
Rula Jebreal
Rula Jebreal
Journalist, author, and foreign policy analyst
Charles K. Williams II
Charles K. Williams II
Philanthropist and Archaeologist
Joseph J. Plumeri II
Joseph J. Plumeri II
Philanthropist and Entrepreneur
Amara Lakhous
Amara Lakhous
Italian author, journalist and anthropologist of Algerian origin
Colin Renfrew
Colin Renfrew
British archaeologist, paleolinguist and Conservative peer
James Murdoch
James Murdoch
British-American businessman and former chief executive officer of 21st Century Fox
 
 

 

2001-2010
Boris Biancheri
Boris Biancheri
Italian Diplomat and Author, former President of Ansa
Catherine Bertini
Catherine Bertini
Leader in International Organization Management, former Executive Director of World Food Program
Patricia de Stacy Harrison
Patricia de Stacy Harrison
U. S. Assistant Secretary of State, Educational & Cultural Affairs
Lawrence E. Auriana
Lawrence E. Auriana
Co-founder and Portfolio Manager, Federated Kaufmann Fund
Dr. Margaret J. Giannini
Dr. Margaret J. Giannini
Director, Office of Disability, Department of Health and Human Services
Lilli Gruber
Lilli Gruber
RAI Television Journalist
On. Franco Frattini
Franco Frattini
Italian Politician and EU Commissioner
John F. Scarpa
John F. Scarpa
Co-founder of American Cellular Network Corporation and Unitel Wireless Communications Systems
Robert H. Evans
Robert H. Evans
Educator, Scholar of Politics and International Relations. Former President of The American University of Rome
Pier Francesco Guarguaglini
Pier Francesco Guarguaglini
Italian Engineer, Businessman and Educator, former Chairman of Finmeccanica
Adriano La Regina
Adriano La Regina
Italian Archaeologist and former President of the Instituto Nazionale di Archeologia e Storia dell Arte
Sean Lovett
Sean Lovett
Director of English Programs, Vatican Radio
Sylvia Poggioli
Sylvia Poggioli
Senior European Correspondent for NPR’s Foreign Desk
Ronald P. Spogli
Ronald P. Spogli
American Venture Capitalist and Diplomat, former US Ambassador to Italy
Giuliano Amato
Giuliano Amato
Italian Lawyer and Politician, President of the American Studies Center
Vincent Viola
Vincent Viola
Former chairman of the New York Mercantile Exchange, and the founder and chairman of Virtu Financial
Piero Angela
Piero Angela
Italian television host, science journalist, writer and pianist
Robert Carlucci
Robert Carlucci
Businessman and Philanthropist. Founder of R&R Ventures

 

1994-2000
Rev. Donald Harrington
Rev. Donald Harrington
Former President of St. John’s University
Edward D. Re
Edward D. Re
Chief Judge, Professor of St. John’s University
Cipriana Artom Scelba
Cipriana Artom Scelba
Former Exec. Director, Italian Fulbright Commission
Antonio Marinelli
Antonio Marinelli
Businessman
Corinne Claiborne Boggs
Corinne Claiborne Boggs
American Politician and former Ambassador of the U.S. to the Vatican
Hage Geingob
Hage Geingob
President of the Republic of Namibia
Stephen A. Fausel
Stephen A. Fausel
Philanthropist, Environmentalist, Businessman, Humanitarian
Rexhep Meidani
Rexhep Meidani
4th President of Albania
Francesco Rutelli
Francesco Rutelli
Italian Politician & former Mayor of the City of Rome