Honoring With Distinction: Why John Lewis Gaddis Should be Given an Honorary Degree from USC

Seeing that spring has arrived, and with it a growing realization that graduation here at my home institution of the University of Southern California is just around the corner, I have been pondering the end of the academic year. This train of thought led me to wonder, who will be speaking at commencement in a few weeks time? With a little research I discovered that the commencement speech is always dilivered by someone who holds a special place in the university’s esteem. The speaker is one of a handful of recipients of the university’s honorary degrees which are bestowed each year. Past speakers include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, and USC alumni Neil A. Armstrong. With this year’s honorees not yet announced, I spent some time considering whom I might first present with a degree, and then ask to address USC’s graduating seniors. My conclusion was a scholar of significant stature in both the historical and international relations communities. His name is John Lewis Gaddis, and in my opinion he is an outstanding fit when set against the various criteria asked of potential recipients of the honorary degree for doctor of humane letters. To demonstrate, let me address those various criteria.

According to the USC Honorary Degrees Homepage, there are four possible requirements for potential nominees, filling any one of which is sufficient for bestowing the honor. For the sake of concision I will only discuss two that Gaddis meets with distinction. The first is “to honor individuals who have distinguished themselves through extraordinary achievements in scholarship, the professions, or other creative activities, whether or not they are widely known by the general public”. With his extensive body of published works, such as "What We Now Know" and "Strategies For Containment”, Gaddis has made an extraordinary achievement in scholarship. His more then half dozen books detailing the Cold War present an astoundingly detailed account of the last era of human historical thinking. James M. Lindsay the vice president of the Council on Foreign Relations has said that Dr. Gaddis is “widely seen as being the leading historian on Cold War history”. Furthermore his literary contributions have earned him the National Humanities Medal, which is awarded to those who have deepened the nations understanding of the humanities. As such a distinguished scholar, I feel that Dr. Gaddis would be an excellent choice as a recipient of this degree. What is more, his uniquely deep understanding of American history and foreign policy, and his assessment of the nation’s current needs and direction, would likely result in a timely and motivating commencement address. However it is not just the graduates or Dr. Gaddis himself who would benefit from his receiving this degree.

Another USC criterion states that the honor may be presented “to elevate the university in the eyes of the world by honoring individuals who are widely known and highly regarded for achievements in their respective fields of endeavor.” To be frank Dr. Gaddis, already possessing a doctorate from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as various medals and awards, may not need another degree, but USC would reaffirm its commitment to honoring academic excellence by bestowing the award upon him. It would be in keeping with the university’s most revered attributes, particularly those of scholarly and skillful, to recognize this contributor to the academic community. While the USC alumni community is already vibrant, accomplished, successful and held in very high regard, it would never the less behoove the university to show its appreciation of academic virtue by associating with this award winning, presidentially recognized, Yale professor. It seems Dr. Gaddis would be an exemplary recipient to elevate the university in the eyes of the world. Further, such a gesture would be beyond any questions as to the validity of the policy of honorary degrees, such as those voiced by James Freedman, who claims that the academic integrity of such honors has been trivialized in recent years. Freedman emphasizes “In bestowing an honorary degree [of which there is a long tradition in American higher education], a university makes an explicit statement to its students and the world about the qualities of character and attainment it admires most.” By presenting Gaddis with a degree our university would be making a strong statement about its regard for sustained academic pursuits and skillful scholastic contributions.

In short, the University of Southern California should extend its arms to John Lewis Gaddis, perhaps not this next month, but certainly in the years to come, as both a recognition of the tremendous academic achievement this scholar has made, and as a demonstration of the values that our university cherishes and seeks to instill in the thousands of minds that enter its gates seeking knowledge. It is only fitting that a dedicated academic mind, who’s texts have already enriched many USC students, be recognized for his contribution, and inducted into the Trojan family.