Rockhurst University Commencement Ceremony to Feature Alumnus with National Profile
More than 800 students will earn their degrees from Rockhurst University in front of loved ones during the annual commencement ceremony scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, at Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri.
Amongst the pomp and circumstance will come the awarding of the first honorary degree from the University since 2010. Stephen Schneck, a 1976 graduate of Rockhurst University, will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters degree from his alma mater as part of the University’s ceremony. Schneck, a nationally renowned expert on political philosophy, longtime professor at The Catholic University of America and advocate for Catholic social teaching, will then address Rockhurst University graduates as part of the ceremony.
After graduating from Rockhurst with a degree in political science and philosophy, Schneck earned master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Notre Dame. He spent more than 30 years as a professor at CUA, was named acting undergraduate dean of the School of Arts and Sciences in 1988, served as chair of the Department of Politics from 1995 to 2007, and in 2012 was appointed acting dean of the National Catholic School of Social Service.
His academic work focuses on political philosophy and public policy, and Schneck is a frequently looked-to lecturer and media guest, analyzing policy and advocating for Catholic social justice principles in public life. Schneck serves on the Board of Directors for Catholic Mobilizing Network and for Catholic Climate Covenant. In 2015, Schneck was appointed to President Barack Obama's third Advisory Council for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. On June 15, 2022, the White House announced Schneck's appointment to the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom and he was named chair of that body in June 2024.
Elsewhere in the ceremony, the University will give special recognition to one of its graduates, Jo Herron, who started her college education in the 1970s at Rockhurst and, at age 83, will earn her bachelor’s degree.
Following the formal ceremony, graduates will take part in the annual Hawk Walk, led by bagpipes through the streets of downtown Kansas City to the KC Live! Block in the Power and Light District where they will toss their caps before celebrating with friends and family.
