1892: Mr. Cunningham receives a doctorate

In 1892—29 years after BC’s founding—28 degrees were awarded at commencement, and a single honorary degree was proffered, the first in the College’s history. The recipient was Henry Vincent Cunningham, an 1887 graduate of Boston University, who was a prominent Catholic lawyer in Boston. The tradition of awarding honorary degrees goes back to at least 1493, when Cambridge University honored the poet John Skelton.