Hillsdale College Grants Honorary Degrees at Commencement Ceremony
Actor, comedian Tim Allen and Prosecuting Attorney Neal Brady received honorary degrees in fine arts and public service
Hillsdale, Mich. — At its 169th annual Commencement ceremony on May 8, Hillsdale College awarded an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree to actor and comedian Tim Allen, who addressed the graduating students, and an honorary Doctorate of Public Service degree to Hillsdale Prosecuting Attorney Neal Brady, who has served the Hillsdale community for more than 25 years. Larry P. Arnn, Hillsdale College president, awarded both honorary degrees.
“Douglass said that education is the uplifting of the human soul to the glorious light of truth, and to deny any individual a world-class education is the greatest crime against humanity,” Corcoran said. He explained that education is about creating good citizens, not just getting a job—an idea that, unfortunately, is prevalent across political lines.
Tim Allen is an actor, comedian, writer, director, and producer. He is best known for his starring roles in the ABC sitcom Home Improvement and the ABC/FOX sitcom Last Man Standing. A graduate of Western Michigan University, he has also starred in many movies, including The Santa Clause trilogy, the Toy Story series (as the voice of Buzz Lightyear), For Richer or Poorer, Galaxy Quest, Big Trouble, Christmas with the Kranks, The Shaggy Dog, Wild Hogs, and Crazy on the Outside.
Neal Brady serves as the Hillsdale County Prosecuting Attorney, an elected position he has held for 25 years. He earned a B.A. in political science from Alma College in 1983 and a J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School in 1986. He has prosecuted 150 jury trials and 21 capital cases. He is a member of the Prosecuting Attorneys Association of Michigan, from which he received a 30-year service award in 2021, and he is a recipient of the Michigan State Police Award for Professional Excellence. He also serves as head coach of the Hillsdale Academy boys’ varsity soccer team and assistant coach of the varsity track team, and previously he was coach of the Hillsdale College Mock Trial team. He and his wife, Lois, have been married for 35 years and have six children.
Allen and Brady join an esteemed list of Hillsdale College’s honorary degree recipients, including poet Will Carleton (1876), cryptologist Elizebeth Smith Friedman (1939), entrepreneur Malcolm Forbes (1984), Senator Mitt Romney (2007), Senator Ted Cruz (2013), Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas (2017), Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence (2018), and Senator Mitch McConnell (2019).
To view photos of the event, click here.