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Washington University in St. Louis is set to confer six honorary degrees during its 164th Commencement on Monday, May 12.
At the event, the institution will also confer academic degrees to approximately 3,600 graduates from the Class of 2025.
Simone Biles, celebrated as one of the most exceptional athletes in history, is scheduled to present the Commencement speech and receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
The following individuals will also be awarded honorary degrees:
- Jenifer Lewis, acclaimed actress in film, television, and Broadway, affectionately known as “The Mother of Black Hollywood,” author, St. Louis native, and community advocate, Doctor of Fine Arts;
- Paula C. Riney, dedicated philanthropist and co-founder of The Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation, which funds scientific research on multiple myeloma and related cancers, Doctor of Humanities;
- Rodger O. Riney, founder and former CEO of the discount brokerage firm Scottrade and co-founder of The Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation, Doctor of Humanities;
- Rochelle Walensky, MD, WashU alumna, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and one of the leading physician-scientists globally, Doctor of Science;
- Jess B. Yawitz, WashU alumnus, founder and retired chairman and CEO of NISA Investment Advisors, Doctor of Business.
Biles is recognized as the most decorated gymnast ever, boasting 41 medals from World Championships and the Olympic Games. She holds the record for the most World Championship medals (30, including 23 gold medals) in the history of gymnastics. A three-time Olympian, her 11 Olympic medals, among which are seven gold, are unparalleled for a U.S. gymnast.
A three-time Laureus World Sportswoman of the Year and an Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year, she possesses the rare honor of having five skills named after her — the Biles — across the beam, floor, and vault events.
Biles’ remarkable achievements have garnered extensive acclaim, which includes being the youngest honoree of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Time’s “100 Most Influential People,” Forbes’ “30 Under 30,” Ebony Power 100, People’s “Women Changing the World,” USA Today’s “100 Women of the Century,” and numerous CNN Heroes accolades, among others.
Her autobiography, “Courage to Soar,” became a New York Times bestseller and was adapted into an award-winning television special on Lifetime, while her Snap Originals series, “Daring Simone Biles,” earned an NAACP Image Award.
As an ambassador for Friends of the Children, Biles utilizes her influence to advocate for change and support initiatives that promote education and assistance for children and young adults involved in adoption, foster care, and overall health.
Lewis, known as “the mother of Black Hollywood,” is a distinguished actress, author, singer, and activist whose vibrant presence has made her one of the most recognized and cherished figures in the entertainment sector. With a career that spans over forty years, Lewis has starred in over 400 television episodes, 68 films, 143 animated roles, and four Broadway shows, earning recognition as both a comedic powerhouse and a dramatic talent.
Originally from Kinloch, Mo., a suburb of St. Louis, Lewis attended Webster University and initiated her career in Broadway musicals.
Her contributions as a performer and community activist have been acknowledged with an honorary doctorate from Webster University and a Career Achievement Award from The American Black Film Festival. The King Center for Nonviolent Social Change honored Lewis with the Yolanda D. King Higher Ground Award. Additionally, she has been presented the Sojourner Truth Award and the Distinguished Cultural Icon Award by the Congressional Black Caucus.
Beyond her successful career on-screen, Lewis is also a New York Times bestselling author. In her memoirs, “The Mother of Black Hollywood” and “Walking in My Joy,” she recounts her personal battle with bipolar disorder, becoming a significant advocate for mental health awareness and self-empowerment.
Lewis actively champions mental health, racial justice, LGBTQ+ rights, and women’s empowerment. She often utilizes her platform to confront power, inspire resilience, and motivate others to live courageously and authentically.
Business pioneer Rodger Riney and his wife, Paula Riney, have devoted decades to enhancing the St. Louis community through a variety of charitable efforts. Rodger Riney obtained a civil engineering degree and an MBA in 1969 from the University of Missouri–Columbia before joining Edward D. Jones & Co., where he eventually became a partner. In 1980, he ventured into a novel industry called discount brokerage, founding his own firm, Scottsdale Securities.
By the 1990s, the business transitioned primarily online and rebranded to Scottrade Inc. However, its fundamental business model—which emphasized low commissions, no investment advice, branch offices to aid clients, and award-winning customer service—remained intact. The firm was included six times in Fortune magazine’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” and earned 11 JD Power awards for Best Discount Brokerage, eventually opening 500 branch offices across 48 states. Following a diagnosis of multiple myeloma, for which no cure existed, Riney opted to sell Scottrade to TD Ameritrade in 2016.
Both Rineys had parents who experienced neurodegenerative diseases, which prompted their early philanthropic contributions to WashU Medicine for research into Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases. After the sale of Scottrade, the couple founded the Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation to further scientific research and general philanthropy, with a primary focus on metropolitan St. Louis. Rodger Riney now serves on the WashU Medicine National Council.
Walensky, an expert in infectious diseases and a notable authority on HIV/AIDS, previously held the position of director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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from 2021-23. Throughout this period, she emerged as a prominent figure in the United States and internationally in the collective effort against the COVID-19 pandemic.
Before her service at the CDC, Walensky held the position of professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and led the Division of Infectious Diseases at Massachusetts General Hospital, acting as a frontline clinician during the early COVID-19 surge.
Walensky received her bachelor’s degree in chemistry from WashU Arts & Sciences in 1991. She obtained her medical degree in 1995 from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and finished her residency in internal medicine in 1998 at Johns Hopkins Hospital.
Her medical education coincided with the critical years of AIDS-related fatalities in the United States, which shaped her fellowship in infectious diseases at Massachusetts General/Brigham and Women’s Hospital and her pursuit of a master’s in public health at the Harvard School of Public Health, both concluded in 2001. She became a faculty member at Harvard Medical School in 2001 and has authored over 350 publications on infectious diseases.
Walensky is affiliated with the American Academy of Physicians, the National Academy of Medicine, and the Council on Foreign Relations. She is a member of the boards for the Doris Duke Foundation and the Carter Center and currently holds the Bayer Fellow in Health and Biotech position at the American Academy in Berlin.
Yawitz, a three-time graduate, is a former esteemed member of WashU’s faculty, an entrepreneur, business executive, and philanthropist. The Yawitz family has made substantial investments in St. Louis, particularly focusing on economic advancement and education for children from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Yawitz was part of the Olin Business School faculty for 14 years. During his tenure, he established and directed Olin’s Institute of Banking and Financial Markets and engaged in groundbreaking research on fixed-income investments and interest-rate risk management, which formed the basis for his business endeavors.
In 1985, Yawitz moved to Wall Street, where he served as vice president and director within the fixed income division at Goldman Sachs. In 1994, Yawitz, alongside Bill Marshall, a fellow Olin faculty member and research partner, acquired National Investment Services of America (NISA) Inc. Over the years, they evolved the company into a leading firm concentrated on the active management of fixed-income assets and derivative overlay strategies for institutional clients. Yawitz stepped down as chairman and CEO of NISA in 2021 after a multi-year transition in the firm’s management and ownership.
Yawitz has remained steadfast in his dedication to WashU. He and his family have generously supported endowed professorships and scholarships; WashU’s College Prep Program—designed to assist first-generation students from the St. Louis area in preparing for college applications and adapting to college life; athletics; Olin Business School, the Department of Economics in Arts & Sciences; and WashU Medicine.
In 2006, Yawitz was honored as the only wrestler inducted into the WashU Athletics Hall of Fame. He has received various prestigious awards from WashU, including the Olin Distinguished Faculty Award, a Founders Day Distinguished Alumni Award, and the Gephardt Institute’s Gerry & Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award.
The article WashU to award six honorary degrees during 164th Commencement first appeared on The Source.
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