Honorary Degree Recipients Announced

Former Dominican University president Donna M. Carroll, Ed.D., University of Scranton alumnus and attorney Vincent F. Reilly, Esq. ’80, and longtime educator Jack Raslowsky will receive honorary degrees from The University of Scranton at its undergraduate commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 24.

Douglas Brinkley, a New York Times best-selling author who was announced as this year’s undergraduate principal speaker, will also receive an honorary degree.

A fifth honorary degree will be conferred to legendary college and professional basketball coach P.J. Carlesimo. His degree will be awarded at a later date.

Dr. Carroll is a lifelong leader in Catholic, Jesuit higher education who served from 1994 to 2021 as president of Dominican University in Illinois. She was the first lay president of Dominican. Using a mission-centered, student-focused approach, she guided the institution through major transformations while advancing equity, supporting students on the margins and raising the university’s national profile.

Dr. Carroll is a former member of the Board of Trustees at The University of Scranton. She has served since 2024 as president of the Association of Catholic Colleges and Universities, which serves as the collective voice of Catholic higher education in the U.S.

Reilly is a lawyer, philanthropist and alumnus whose life reflects cura personalis and service to those in need. He was the law partner of fellow Royal Kevin O’Brien, Esq. ’80, for 17 years before founding Reilly, McDevitt and Henrich, where he is the firm’s co-managing partner and has emphasized service to clients of modest means.

Reilly’s generosity extends to community service, parish life and education. Deeply connected to his alma mater, Reilly served multiple terms on The University of Scranton’s Board of Trustees, including as chair from 2022-2025. In 2015, he was awarded the University’s prestigious Frank J. O’Hara Distinguished Alumni Award.

Raslowsky is a veteran Jesuit secondary education leader whose career spans 35-plus years as a teacher, administrator and president. In 2009, he became the first lay president of Xavier High School (New York City), where he has since championed human dignity, inclusion and spiritual formation.

A strong advocate for social justice, Raslowsky has integrated Ignatian values into leadership and service in and out of the classroom, serving on numerous faith-based boards. He will retire from Xavier following the 2026-2027 academic year.

In addition to being one of the nation’s most celebrated historians and authors of history — several of his books were New York Times bestsellers — Dr. Brinkley has held academic posts at the U.S. Naval Academy, Hofstra University, Tulane University and Rice University.

Beyond authorship and academia, Dr. Brinkley is a leading voice in environmental conservation and historic preservation. He has served as a board member and advisory leader in support of organizations at the forefront of protecting the nation’s national and cultural heritage.

Deeply connected to Jesuit values and The University of Scranton, Carlesimo is a major supporter of Scranton athletics and the annual Carlesimo Golf Tournament and Award Dinner held in memory of his late father, Peter A. Carlesimo, a historic University coach and athletic director.

Carlesimo has coached major college programs and NBA teams and was an assistant coach for the gold medal-winning 1992 U.S. Olympic men’s “Dream Team.” He won three NBA titles as an assistant coach for the San Antonio Spurs and won 212 games as an NBA head coach. He is currently a prominent basketball broadcaster.

The University’s undergraduate commencement ceremony, including the awarding of the honorary degrees, will begin at 11 a.m. Sunday, May 24, at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre Township. Doors open at 9:45 a.m.