Dear Students, Faculty, and Staff Members,

I’m delighted to write to you today to announce Swarthmore College’s 2026 honorary degree recipients. Upon the recommendation of the College’s Honorary Degree Committee, and with approval by the faculty and the Board of Managers, the College will award honorary degrees to the following individuals at this year’s Commencement ceremony:

Jonathan Alger ’86

Jonathan Alger ’86 is a nationally recognized scholar of higher education policy and law whose career has been defined by a deep commitment to civic engagement, academic freedom, and access to excellence in higher education. In July 2024, he became the 16th president of American University, following 12 years as president of James Madison University.

Colman Domingo

Colman Domingo is an award-winning actor, playwright, producer, and director whose work across stage and screen has established him as one of the most dynamic and influential artists of his generation. Born in West Philadelphia and a 1987 graduate of Overbrook High School, Domingo attended Temple University before moving to San Francisco to pursue a life in the theater, a leap of faith that launched a career defined by artistic rigor, range, and remarkable staying power.

Judith Sandalow ’84

Judith Sandalow ’84 is a public interest attorney and nonprofit leader whose career has been devoted to advancing justice for low-income children and families. Sandalow has spent more than three decades using the law as a tool to confront inequity — particularly for young people navigating the child welfare and juvenile justice systems, and for parents fighting to improve their children's health and education.  

Talia Young ’01

Talia Young ’01 is an environmental scientist, educator, and community entrepreneur whose work bridges marine ecology, food justice, and youth engagement. A biology major at Swarthmore, Young went on to earn her Ph.D. in ecology and evolution from Rutgers University, where her research used chemical tools to better understand aquatic food webs and the environmental pressures shaping marine ecosystems. Her scientific training has remained central to her work — but always in service of communities beyond the academy.

You can read more about this year’s extraordinary group of recipients and their achievements on the College’s website.

Thank you to everyone who submitted nominations. And a special thanks to the members of the Honorary Degree Committee, which I have the pleasure of chairing, for putting forward an impressive group of individuals. The committee members include:

• Erin Brownlee Dell, Chief of Staff and Secretary of the College
• Daniel Grodner, Associate Professor, Psychology
• Bennett Lorber ’64, P’89, H’96 Emeritus Member, Board of Managers
• Dawn Porter ’88, H’21 Member, Board of Managers
• Matt Saunders, Associate Professor, Theater
• Robin Shapiro ’78, Emeritus Member, Board of Managers
• Hillary Smith, Associate Professor, Physics 

Please join me in congratulating this year’s honorees. I look forward to celebrating them at the 2026 Commencement ceremony in May.  

Sincerely, 

Val Smith
President 
Roy J. and Linda G. Shanker Presidential Chair