Arthur Peter Mutharika, president of the Republic of Malawi and former Washington University professor, was conferred with an honorary degree by Washington University Sunday.

Washington University will grant honorary degrees to six individuals at the 156th Commencement ceremony May 20.

Gloria Steinem, the renowned feminist and co-founder of Ms. Magazine, will be one of six people to receive honorary degrees from Washington University this year. The other recipients will be Richard Mahoney, the retired chair and CEO of Monsanto; C.

Washington University will award five honorary degrees this year at Commencement. The degrees will go to Commencement speaker and Nobel laureate Elie Wiesel; John H. Biggs, former vice chancellor for administration and finance at the University; Shirley Ann Jackson, the 18th president of Rensselaer Polytechnic University; Griffin P.

Graduation is not until May, but it’s time for students to start a discussion of graduation speakers and honorary degrees. Washington University always begins the process of selecting a graduation speaker and honorary degree recipients far in advance of graduation, so if students want any part in the process, they need to get involved now.

Here’s hoping that the class of 2012 doesn’t just suck up the fine education Wash. U. has to offer and fly away. There is more to life than getting into professional school or moving back to your parent’s basement and working at Starbucks.