Topic: Honorary Degree

A feral cat named Max, who became a fixture on the Vermont State University Castleton campus, was awarded an honorary "Doctor of Literature" degree. The cat is known for hitching rides on student backpacks and posing for photography classes. The story is used to comment on the perceived declining value of modern university degrees.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky delivered a virtual commencement speech to graduates at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Zelensky received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and spoke about the importance of time and freedom. The segment notes that he was introduced by Anne Applebaum, leading to a discussion about the university's ties to the intelligence community.

Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson appeared on a podcast where he repeatedly misspoke, referring to "taking the virus" instead of the vaccine. Tyson's defensive tone and reliance on two-year-old vaccine talking points were noted as erratic behavior. The discussion suggests that public figures who heavily promoted the initial vaccine rollout are struggling to adapt to changing public sentiment and data.

Alumni of Clarkson University express outrage after the school awarded honorary degrees to the founders of the Black Lives Matter movement for "inventing a hashtag." The hosts discuss the devaluation of honorary degrees and the backlash from the university's donor base. Dvorak mentions his own title as a "Kentucky Colonel" as a point of comparison for honorary titles.

Former IBM CEO Sam Palmisano delivered a commencement speech at Johns Hopkins University after receiving an honorary doctorate. Palmisano went off-script to mention his previous degree from the institution, referring to his prepared remarks as a "script."