At the 2024 Commencement Ceremony, Fordham University will distinguish three individuals with honorary degrees in acknowledgment of their contributions to Fordham and to the public at large.
The first to receive an honorary doctorate of laws is the commencement speaker, Joseph Patrick Kennedy III. Kennedy, a grandnephew of former President John F. Kennedy, will be the third member of his family to speak at Fordham and the fourth to receive an honorary degree from the university. His grandfather, Robert F. Kennedy, addressed the Fordham University class of 1967, where he famously told graduating students that they were entering “a world aflame with the desires and hatreds of multitudes.” The 1967 speech was delivered amid increasing national resistance to the Vietnam War and the rising student protest movement that marked the end of the ’60s and the early ’70s.
This year’s ceremony takes place amidst similar resistance to the United States’ involvement in the Israel-Palestine conflict. Joseph P. Kennedy III told The Fordham Ram, “It’s an honor to be able to celebrate the graduating class of 2024.” He also remarked, “Fordham has a rich history of being a diverse and welcoming community that centers justice and fighting for those most vulnerable. It is in that spirit my grandfather lived his life, so it’s incredibly meaningful to have the opportunity to address Fordham’s graduating students almost 60 years after he did the same.”
Like other members of the Kennedy family, Joseph P. Kennedy III has led a successful career in public service. After attending Stanford University to study management science and engineering, Kennedy joined the Peace Corps in 2003. After that, he attended Harvard Law School and became more involved in American politics, winning a seat as a U.S. House of Representatives member from Massachusetts. Now, Kennedy serves as the U.S. Special Envoy to Northern Ireland for Economic Affairs.
Next among the honorary degree recipients is Sister Helen Prejean who is set to receive an honorary doctorate of humane letters. Prejean is the author of the bestselling memoir “Dead Man Walking,” which, since its publication in 1993, has been made into an Academy Award-winning film and was adapted into an opera in 2000. The opera was recently performed at the Metropolitan Opera at Lincoln Center last fall. In her memoir, Prejean relates her experience as a spiritual advisor to a convicted murderer on death row in a Louisiana state prison and the complicated moral and spiritual questions that she faced as a result of her experience.
Prejean, driven by her strong Catholic faith, is a fierce opponent of the death penalty and advocates for the end of capital punishment across the country. Since the publication of “Dead Man Walking,” she has also written about her experience being an activist and her own spiritual journey. Today, Prejean continues her advocacy work by writing to and visiting prisoners on death row and encouraging others to do the same. Her website, www.sisterhelen.org, raises awareness about current prisoners facing the death penalty and how to get involved with her advocacy work.
In bestowing an honorary degree, Fordham recognizes Prejean’s important contributions to the death penalty abolition movement, her direct non-profit work with prisoners and her inspiring testimony and dedication to the Catholic Church.
Also receiving an honorary doctorate of humane letters is Robert D. Daleo, GSB ’72. Daleo is a former chairman of the Fordham University Board of Trustees. As one of Fordham’s greatest long-time supporters, Daleo has sponsored the renovation of Hughes Hall and the Joseph M. McShane, S.J. Campus Center project. Daleo and his wife, Linda Daleo, also donate to Fordham’s scholarship fund annually. They have even created their own scholarship fund named the Paul Daleo Memorial Endowed Scholarship in honor of Daleo’s brother, Paul Daleo, GSB ’68 and ’75.
Daleo began serving on the Fordham University Board of Trustees in 2008 before taking over as chair in 2012. Before that, he was the executive vice president and chief financial officer of Canadian media conglomerate Thomson Reuters. His Fordham undergraduate education and his M.B.A. from Baruch College prepared him for a successful career in publishing and media. During his time as chairman, the Board of Trustees introduced a newly renamed and revamped Mission and Social Justice Committee. In 2020, Daleo spearheaded the board’s anti-racism campaign and worked closely with the Mission and Social Justice Committee.
While no longer chair of the university’s board, Daleo is still a committed member of the Fordham community. In gratitude for all of his hard work and generous contributions to the university and its students, Daleo will receive his honorary doctorate at the 2024 Commencement Ceremony.
