UW-Madison announced Thursday the university will award photojournalist Lynsey Addario, biochemist William J. Rutter and former Wisconsin Gov. Tommy Thompson honorary degrees at a spring award ceremony.
Honorary degrees from UW-Madison recognize “individuals with careers of extraordinary accomplishments,” according to a university release. A preference is given to nominees who are connected either to the university or the state in a significant way.
Addario graduated from UW-Madison in 1995 with degrees in international studies and Italian, and she was nominated for the honorary degree by the Department of French and Italian. She won a Pulitzer Prize in 2009 as a part of a New York Times reporting team.
The Department of Biochemistry nominated Rutter for the honorary degree, as he is a “pioneering biochemist” who “helped lay the foundation for the emerging field of biotechnology,” according to the release.
Thompson received his bachelor’s degree from UW-Madison in 1963 and his law degree in 1966. He served 14 years as the Wisconsin governor, which makes him longest-serving governor in Wisconsin history. The La Follette School of Public Affairs and the Department of Political Science nominated him for the degree.
The honorary degrees will be presented to Addario, Rutter and Thompson May 13 at a ceremony held in the Kohl Center.
