March 29, 2024

MSM President James Gandre will receive an Honorary Doctor of Music degree and deliver an address at his alma mater, Lawrence University, in Appleton, Wisconsin, on June 9 and 10, during the school’s 2024 Commencement weekend.

A graduate of the Lawrence Class of 1981, President Gandre will address graduates and their families at the Baccalaureate Service on Saturday, June 8.  The multi-faith service is scheduled for 2:30 pm in Memorial Chapel at the University.

And then on Sunday, June 9, President Gandre will be awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music degree at Commencement, where his fellow honorary doctorate recipient (and Commencement Speaker) will be Lawrence University alumnus Pawo Choyning Dorji, Class of ’06, an Oscar-nominated Bhutanese filmmaker.

“I am profoundly moved to receive this recognition from an institution that has played such an important role in my life,” says President Gandre. “I look forward to returning to the Lawrence campus in June and reconnecting with this foundational part of my past – a place that continues to play a crucial role in so many futures.”

A Wisconsin native, President Gandre majored in music performance (voice) at Lawrence. He earned his master’s degree (performance) from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music in 1983 and his Ed.D. in higher education administration from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2001.

“We are thrilled to welcome these two accomplished Lawrentians back to campus as we celebrate the achievements of our 2024 graduates,” Lawrence President Laurie A. Carter said. “Their journeys are wonderful examples of the power of a liberal arts education.”

Founded in 1847, Lawrence University is private liberal arts college and conservatory of music located in Appleton, Wisconsin, that is considered one of the leading private liberal arts colleges in the United States.