Harvard will award 11 honorary degrees today as part of Commencement exercises.

The University recognized the recipients at an Annenberg Hall banquet last night, which featured a cello performance by Sarah M. Carter ’04 and a meal including jumbo shrimp salad, horseradish-encrusted filet of beef and milk chocolate mousse.

A group of 26 faculty members, including Dean of the College and Gordon McKay Professor of Computer Science Harry R. Lewis ’68, were also recognized by the University as outstanding teachers.

From a distinguished economist to the former president of Mexico, the 11 honorary degree recipients span a variety of backgrounds and accomplishments.

Gary S. Becker

Gary S. Becker, a renowned economics professor, was awarded the Nobel Prize for economics in 1992 for his work applying microeconomic tools to analyze human behavior.

He has pioneered the study of social problems such as discrimination and crime through economics.

Becker has been at the University of Chicago since 1969, where he is currently the University Professor of Economics and Sociology.

He grew up in Brooklyn, N.Y., attended Princeton University for undergraduate studies and received his doctorate from Chicago.

He taught at Chicago from 1955-57 before leaving for Columbia University and the National Bureau of Economic Research. In 1969, he returned to Chicago.

He has also served as president of the American Economic Association. He received its John Bates Clark medal in 1967 and won the National Medal of Science in 2000.

He will receive a Doctor of Laws degree.

Norman C. Francis

Norman C. Francis has long been one of the foremost advocates for blacks in higher education.

He has served as president of Xavier University in Louisiana. Francis began his career as an administrator at Xavier and rose through the ranks.