Commencement 2019 Honorees

2019 Honorary Degrees

Seven influential leaders in neuroscience, photography, religion, writing, astrophysics and social justice philanthropy received honorary degrees from Amherst College on May 26, 2019.

• Hear audio recordings of the talks given by Amherst’s honorary degree recipients.
• Read Amherst’s news story about the distinguished honorees.

Read the honorary degree citations:

• David P. Corey, 1974
• Annie Leibovitz
• Archbishop Thabo Makgoba
• Charles C. Mann, 1976, P 1998
• Nergis Mavalvala
• Cullen Murphy, 1974
• Darren Walker

2019 Medal for Eminent Service

Paula K. Rauch 1977, P 2000, 2008 received the Medal for Eminent Service. The award is presented to members of the Amherst community who have demonstrated extraordinary devotion to the college.

2019 Swift Moore Teaching Awards

Each year at Commencement, Amherst College presents the Phebe and Zephaniah Swift Moore Teaching Awards to three outstanding secondary school teachers who challenged, inspired and moved members of the graduating class. The awards are named for the first president of the College and his wife. Amherst has presented the awards since 1997. This year’s recipients are:

• Heather L. Anderson, math teacher, Pathfinder Regional Vocational Technical High School Palmer, Massachusetts

• Z. Aaron Barkon, music teacher, Hamden High School, Hamden, Connecticut

• John Hoerster, English teacher, Oak Park and River Forest High School, Oak Park, Illinois

Class of 2019 Honorary Class Members

The Class of 2019 elected the following Amherst College staff members to be honorary classmates, and honored them at Senior Assembly:

• Peter Charron, Dining Services
• Doug Fuller, Facilities
• Tim St. Onge, Moss Quantitative Center
• Yolyana Rodriguez, Dining Services
• Traci Roy, Health Services
• Joan Slocombe, Dining Services
• Randy Valdez, Athletics