At the 54th annual commencement exercises for Northern Kentucky University over the weekend, more than 2,000 degrees were conferred in two sessions to its graduates.
See the graduate program and list of graduates at inside.nku.edu.
Two individuals were award Honorary Degrees in recognition of their significant contributions to the state, the university, and the general welfare of Kentucky citizens.
Here are the individuals who received this singular honor:
Dr. Aaron Thompson
Dr. Aaron Thompson is a passionate advocate for higher education. He was born in central Appalachia (Clay County, Kentucky) in a log cabin with a partial dirt floor, to an illiterate coal miner and sharecropper father and a mother with an eighth-grade education. Thompson is a first-generation high school and college student who worked his way through both, experiencing firsthand the transformative power of a college credential.
Dr. Thompson discovered his passion for education and helping others achieve theirs while in college. As an African American who grew up during the civil rights era, he understood the importance of ensuring that people of color have access to educational opportunities that help break down institutional barriers. He earned his Ph.D. in sociology, focusing on organizational behavior and race and gender inequality.
Currently, as president of the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education —the state’s head of higher education — he works to ensure that all Kentuckians have an equal opportunity to improve their lives through postsecondary education. Kentucky was recently ranked second in the nation for college completions and is closing gaps for underrepresented students faster than most states.
Before leading CPE, Thompson served as interim president of Kentucky State University, CPE executive vice president and provost, and faculty member and administrator at Eastern Kentucky University. He brings extensive leadership experience from the private and nonprofit sectors and is a highly sought-after national speaker, having delivered approximately 1,000 keynotes, workshops and seminars both nationally and internationally, primarily on student success, closing equity gaps and cultural competence. He has worked with police departments, municipalities and communities for more than three decades to build harmonious relationships. He has served on numerous national, state and local boards, often in leadership roles. Dr. Thompson has authored or co-authored numerous books and peer-reviewed publications on the first-year experience, diversity, cultural competence and student success.
Dr. Thompson has received multiple recognitions and awards for his life’s work, including being named the most outstanding State Higher Education Executive Officer by SHEEO; the James Bryant Conant Leadership Award from the Education Commission of the States; the Outstanding Governance Leadership Award from Modern Healthcare; the Outstanding Leadership Award in Governance from the Kentucky Hospital Association; and the East Kentucky Leadership Award for Public Service, among others. He has also received honorary doctorates from Eastern Kentucky University, Kentucky State University, Union College, Brescia University and Murray State University.
One of his greatest honors is having a foundation named after him, The Thompson Scholars Foundation, which serves low-income students and students of color from early childhood through college in Appalachia. The foundation now supports more than 200 young people and is the only nonprofit of its kind in Kentucky. In addition, he was inducted into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame in 2019 and the Junior Achievement Bluegrass Business Hall of Fame in 2025.
Rachel Votruba
Rachel Votruba was born in Battle Creek, Michigan, and grew up in a lake community in Hickory Corners, Michigan. Her parents instilled in her a deep commitment to service and community involvement. Her father served on the local school board for 10 years and her mother volunteered at a school for children with visual impairments.
She graduated from Drake University in 1970 with degrees in physical education, health and English. Rachel embraced every opportunity to share her love of learning. Throughout her career she taught a wide range of subjects and activities, including physical education, English, first aid and numerous sports such as tennis, soccer, skiing, racquetball and sailing.
When she returned to East Lansing, Michigan, while her husband, Jim Votruba, completed his Ph.D., Rachel taught junior high school physical education and English. During that time, she witnessed the early impact of Title IX and helped establish interscholastic sports programs for women, expanding opportunities for women athletes. She often notes that many women of that era had not been given the chance to participate in sports themselves, making the growth of women’s athletics especially meaningful.
As Rachel and Jim moved among several universities across the country, they raised three children, Christopher, Elizabeth and Emily. Their family journey included building their family in a nontraditional way, an experience that brought both challenges and deep joy and helped shape their perspective on family, resilience and compassion.
In 1997, Rachel and Jim moved to Northern Kentucky, where they quickly became active members of the community. Rachel immersed herself in the nonprofit sector and has supported numerous organizations dedicated to strengthening the region. These include the Brighton Center, the Children’s Law Center and the Women’s Crisis Center, now known as the Ion Center.
Rachel later concluded her teaching career at Northern Kentucky University, where she taught classroom management and discipline. She found great joy in working with students and preparing future educators.
Rachel and Jim have received many honors over the years. Among the most meaningful is the naming of the James C. and Rachel M. Votruba Student Union at Northern Kentucky University in recognition of their lasting contributions to the university community. Rachel is the proud grandmother of five grandsons and is grateful for the love and support of her family and the Northern Kentucky community, especially following Jim’s passing.
Northern Kentucky University