Misty Copeland, Oscar Isaac, and Paul Simon Will Receive Honorary Doctorates at Juilliard

The Juilliard School will hold its 121st commencement on Friday, May 22 at 11:30am at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall in New York City, celebrating more than 300 graduates from its music, dance, and drama divisions as they launch the next chapter of their artistic lives. The ceremony will also confer honorary doctorate degrees on distinguished artists whose work has shaped and expanded the fields of opera, music, dance, film, and theater: trailblazing ballerina Misty Copeland, Emmy- and Grammy-winning mezzo-soprano and Juilliard Distinguished Visiting Faculty Denyce Graves, Golden Globe-winning actor and Juilliard alum Oscar Isaac (Group 34), and 16-time Grammy winner Paul Simon. 

“Each of this year's remarkable honorary doctorate recipients has left an indelible mark on their field” said Juilliard's president Damian Woetzel. “As we celebrate Juilliard's class of 2026, we acknowledge these artists who stand as shining examples of extraordinary achievement and impact on the world.” 

The ceremony will be led by Woetzel and will feature performances from Juilliard students paying tribute to this year's honorary doctorate recipients. Speakers will include the leadership of the school and its board of trustees, and the program will also be livestreamed at juilliard.edu. 

Juilliard first issued honorary doctorates in 1987, when the degrees were bestowed upon six individuals who had made a difference to Juilliard and the world. Since that time, more than 150 such degrees have been conferred.