Campus Spotlight

Five honorary degrees were conferred during the Academic Convocation ceremony on May 8. Among those recognized was Academy Award-winning actor Troy Kotsur. Kotsur, who is a former member of NTID’s traveling performance troupe Sunshine Too and was the first Deaf male actor to win an Oscar, received an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree. Pictured, from left to right, are RIT President Bill Sanders, RIT Provost Prabu David, Kotsur, RIT Trustee Vice Chair Susan Holliday, and RIT Trustee Andrew Brenneman.

Five honorary degrees were conferred during the Academic Convocation ceremony on May 8. Among those recognized was Kip Thorne, the Feynman Professor of Theoretical Physics, Emeritus, at California Institute of Technology, who received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree. Thorne, who was unable to attend the ceremony, is a distinguished author who led a Caltech research group working in relativistic astrophysics and gravitational physics, with emphasis on relativistic stars, black holes, and gravitational waves. Pictured, from left to right, are RIT President Bill Sanders, RIT Provost Prabu David, RIT School of Film and Animation Director Ricky Figueroa, RIT Distinguished Professor of Astrophysics Manuela Campanelli, RIT Trustee Vice Chair Susan Holliday, and RIT Trustee and Chair Emeritus Jeff Harris.

Five honorary degrees were conferred during the Academic Convocation ceremony on May 8. Among those recognized was Mohammed Al Zarooni, executive chairman of Dubai Integrated Economic Zones Authority and a member of RIT Dubai’s Board of Directors. Al Zarooni, who has over 30 years of experience leading and developing free economic zones and is considered one of the world’s top free zone influencing leaders, received an Honorary Doctor of Commercial Science degree. Pictured, from left to right, are RIT President Bill Sanders, RIT Provost Prabu David, Al Zarooni, RIT Trustee Vice Chair Susan Holliday, and RIT Trustee Darshan Hiranandani.

Five honorary degrees were conferred during the Academic Convocation ceremony on May 8. Among those recognized was Dr. Mae Jemison, a former NASA astronaut, physician, educator, and the first woman of color to go into space, who received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree. Jemison, who delivered the keynote address to graduates, also founded the Jemison Group Inc., which focuses on combining space and technology to improve daily life on earth, and the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, which designs and implements STEM education experiences. Pictured, from left to right, are RIT President Bill Sanders, RIT Provost Prabu David, Jemison, RIT Trustee Vice Chair Susan Holliday, and RIT Trustee Clayton Turner.