| May 2003 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Hermann A. Grunder; Director, Argonne National Laboratory. |
| May 2001 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Herbert C. Brown, eminent chemist. |
| December 1999 | Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) | J. Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives. |
| May 1998 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Tashia F. Morgridge, protagonist for child welfare and development and friend of the NIU College of Education. |
| May 1998 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | John D. Morgridge, leader in the information-technology industry and friend of the NIU College of Education. |
| May 1997 | Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) | Robert M. Morris; distinguished public administrator and professional mentor. |
| December 1996 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Arthur Schlesinger Jr.; distinguished historian. |
| December 1995 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Paul Simon; United States Senator and advocate for persons with disabilities. |
| September 1995 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Carl Sagan; astronomer and promoter of scientific literacy. |
| May 1994 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | awarded to Sanford Meisner; eminent acting teacher. |
| December 1993 | Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.) | Lucien H. Stryk; eminent poet and teacher, and retired member of the NIU Department of English. |
| December 1992 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Raya Garbousova; eminent cellist and teacher, and retired member of the NIU School of Music faculty. |
| May 1992 | Doctor of Letters (Litt.D.) | Gwendolyn Brooks; Poet Laureate of Illinois. |
| December 1991 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Alan Schriesheim; Director, Argonne National Laboratory. |
| May 1991 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Robert W. Galvin; Chairman of the Board, Motorola, Inc. |
| December 1990 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Ardis Krainik; General Director, Lyric Opera of Chicago. |
| August 1990 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Margaret ("Maggie") Kuhn; Founder, Gray Panthers. |
| October 1989 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Mstislav Rostropovich; Music Director, National Symphony Orchestra; eminent conductor, cellist, and human-rights advocate. |
| May 1989 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Walter B. Massey; Vice President for Research and for Argonne National Laboratory at the University of Chicago ; President of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. |
| May 1988 | Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) | Harry A. Blackmun ; Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, and friend of the NIU College of Law. |
| May 1987 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Samuel S. Goldich; eminent geologist, retired member of the NIU Department of Geology. |
| May 1986 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Cyril O. Houle; Senior Program Consultant, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, and friend of the NIU Adult Continuing Education Program. |
| August 1985 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Louis Bellson; eminent drummer, and benefactor to the NIU School of Music. |
| May 1984 | Doctor of Humane Letters (L.H.D.) | Lawrence A. Cremin; President, Teachers College, Columbia University . |
| May 1983 | Doctor of Science (Sc.D.) | Leon Lederman; Director, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory. |
Last updated 02/19/2004