Honorary Degrees 2023

FREDERICK S. UPTON AWARDED HONORARY DEGREE

Congressman Frederick S. Upton will receive an Honorary Degree during the Commencement Ceremony of April 29th.

The Honorable Frederick S. Upton received nomination and was approved by the Honorary Degree Committee for consideration of an Honorary Degree at Western Michigan University. He earned his Bachelor of Arts Degree in Journalism from the University of Michigan in 1975. 

Congressman Fred Upton has served with honor and distinction in the U.S. House of Representatives for 36 years and during his tenure has remained committed to his district and the entire state of Michigan. Our institution has greatly benefited by having a respected bipartisan leader advocating for WMU in the U.S. House of Representatives. 

WMU has certainly benefited greatly from Fred Upton’s work over the years. He is so proud of his “hometown” university and all that it stands for. WMU and Congressman Upton share similar priorities for societal well-being and are committed to ensuring that the entire region has the support and capacity to provide the skills, research capacity and environment that is needed for our continued economic success. Congressman Upton has never hesitated to push for increased funding or a new research grant opportunity to support the work being done at WMU. Most recently, Fred Upton requested and secured a $1.5 million grant for WMU’s STEM Collaboratory Workforce program to offer cutting edge approaches to diversify and expand STEM workforce pipelines.  

Bestowing this honorary degree upon him allows Western Michigan University to properly recognize a tireless advocate for us and Southwest Michigan. Fred Upton’s time in Congress is coming to an end, his passionate advocacy work is certainly not. He will continue to be a champion for WMU, the region, and the entire state for many years to come.