Douglas Hallward-Driemeier '89 & Tavis Smiley Awarded Honorary Doctorates from DePauw
May 22, 2016
Photo Galleries 1 & 2; Order Your Commencement DVD
"DePauw has always had a very special place in my heart," said Douglas Hallward-Driemeier as he received an Honorary Doctor of Letters degree at the University's 177th Annual Commencement today. A 1989 DePauw graduate and partner in the Washington, D.C. office of Ropes & Gray, Hallward-Driemeier's arguments helped persuade the U.S. Supreme Court to rule in favor of same-sex marriage last summer.
"I'm even more honored to have had even a small part in helping establish the equal rights and dignity of LGBT individuals and couples in the United States," he told the students, faculty and staff, families, alumni and many friends of DePauw gathered in Holton Memorial Quadrangle. "I do believe that with the Obergefell decision we made our society a little more just and our Union a little more perfect. But I want to note that the true heroes of the Obergefell decision were not the justices, and it was not we the lawyers who argued the case. It was the thousands upon thousands of individuals who stood up for justice."
Hallward-Driemeier, who was a political science major and Honor Scholar 
at DePauw, was named a Rhodes Scholar his senior year and went on to earn a master's of philosophy in politics at Oxford University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School. A civil rights attorney, he has presented more than 50 appellate arguments, including 16 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court.
"DePauw has given you the tools to make a difference," he said. "DePauw has taught you to ask hard questions, it has taught you to advocate, and it has taught you to care. And with those tools I have no doubt that you, too, will make the world a better place."
Video of the degree being presented is embedded below.
An Honorary Doctor of Public Service degree was presented today to Tavis Smiley, who presented the primary address to graduates. The host of the late-night PBS talk show Tavis Smiley, as well as The Tavis Smiley Show on 
Public Radio International (PRI). He's also authored 18 books, including the new My Journey with Maya, which shares personal memories from is 28 year friendship with Maya Angelou.
Before receiving his honorary degree today, Smiley told the 533 graduates, "America needs your leadership. And there are so many distinguished graduates of this institution who have offered a kind of leadership sorely needed in this nation that I want to encourage you to emulate. I could run a long list of great, iconic DePauw graduates, but it just so happens that one of your most distinguished graduates happens to be not just a friend of mine, but I consider him a mentor. And so I want to call and celebrate in his absence my friend, Vernon Jordan."
Today's program also included remarks from Craig R. Carter, the 2016 recipient of DePauw's Walker Cup, which is awarded to the
senior who has contributed the most to the University community during his or her four years on campus.
Graduates and their families are invited to order a limited edition DVD of the commencement program. The disc, which is professionally replicated, will include footage of each graduate receiving their DePauw diploma as well as a range of bonus 
materials, including clips of some of the most memorable moments of the past four years, such as Ubben Lectures by Jimmy Kimmel, Jane Goodall, Dan Quayle '69, Martin Luther King III, Bret Baier '92 and Andrew Luck. The DVD will also contain a video tribute to President Casey and vintage film from the DePauw Archives.
Orders are now being accepted at $19.95 for the first disc; additional DVDs sent to the same address will be $8 each (7% sales tax will be added to Indiana orders). An online order form is available here; you can learn more about the disc in this article.
For more information on DePauw's commencement, click here.
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