Cerri Banks to receive honorary degree at SU commencement alongside 3 others

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Cerri Banks, Michael Crow, Kathleen Walters and David MacDonald will receive honorary degrees at this year’s commencement ceremony, Syracuse University announced in a Thursday news release.

Banks, who served as the university’s vice president for student experience and deputy to the senior vice president, will receive a posthumous honorary doctor of humane letters degree. She died in July 2022.

Her parents will attend the commencement ceremony to accept the honorary degree on her behalf, according to the release. Banks previously earned bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degrees from SU’s School of Education.

This year’s other honorary degree recipients also have direct connections to the university.

Crow, who currently serves as the president of Arizona State University, earned his doctoral degree in public administration from SU’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs. SU is awarding Crow an honorary doctor of science degree.

Walters, the first woman to serve on SU’s Board of Trustees, is receiving an honorary doctor of humane letters degree. Walters also got her bachelor’s degree from SU’s College of Arts and Sciences. MacDonald, a ceramics artist and professor emeritus at SU’s School of Visual and Performing Arts, will be accepting an honorary doctor of fine arts degree.

Commencement will take place at the JMA Wireless Dome at 9:30 a.m. on May 14.