President Barack Obama will become the seventh president to receive an honorary degree from Rutgers University.
NEW BRUNSWICK -- President Barack Obama will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Rutgers University when he delivers the keynote address at its commencement ceremony.
The university's Board of Governors voted to approve the degree in a special meeting Monday, making Obama the seventh president to receive an honorary degree from Rutgers, the university said.
Martin Van Buren, James Buchanan, Woodrow Wilson, Herbert Hoover and Dwight Eisenhower all received honorary degrees from Rutgers prior to becoming president, according to the university.
The only sitting president to receive an honorary degree from Rutgers was Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933, the university said. Roosevelt did not attend the commencement ceremony that year but called to accept the degree, Rutgers said.
Eisenhower received his honorary degree when he spoke at commencement in 1948, four years before being elected president.
Obama will speak May 15 at the Rutgers-New Brunswick and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences commencement at High Point Solutions Stadium. The university is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year.
"We are delighted that President Obama has chosen to address Rutgers graduates at this year's historic commencement and we are pleased to present him with this honorary degree," Rutgers President Robert Barchi said.
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