The American University of Rome to Confer Honorary Doctorate on Ambassador Cindy McCain

Ambassador Cindy Hensley McCain will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at the university’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony.

ROME, ITALY, May 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The American University of Rome (AUR) is delighted to announce that Ambassador Cindy Hensley McCain will be awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters at the university’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony, to be held on May 16 at the historic Villa Aurelia in Rome.

This distinction recognizes Ambassador McCain’s enduring commitment to humanitarian causes and her impactful leadership on the global stage. Her work resonates profoundly with the university's mission to foster intercultural understanding, academic excellence, and ethical global citizenship, and her nomination was unanimously endorsed by the AUR community and formally approved by the Board of Trustees.

Commenting on the award, AUR President Scott Sprenger stated: “Ambassador McCain represents the values that are at the heart of The American University of Rome - civic engagement, global responsibility, and a commitment to shaping a better world through informed action. Her leadership in combating global hunger and her advocacy for vulnerable communities offer a powerful example to our students, many of whom aspire to careers in international development, public policy, and humanitarian work. We are proud to honor her as a model of integrity, compassion, and impact.”

Ambassador McCain currently serves as Executive Director of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), the world’s largest humanitarian organization addressing hunger and promoting food security. Appointed in 2023, she assumed leadership at a time of unprecedented global food crises, advocating for urgent funding and innovative partnerships to combat hunger exacerbated by conflict, natural disasters, and economic instability.

Prior to her role at WFP, McCain served as the U.S. Ambassador to the UN Agencies for Food and Agriculture in Rome from 2021 to 2023, where she championed sustainable development and humanitarian relief efforts. Her extensive philanthropic work includes founding the American Voluntary Medical Team, which provided medical aid to underserved populations, and serving on the boards of organizations such as CARE, Operation Smile, and The HALO Trust. She is the former Chair of the Board of Trustees of the McCain Institute for International Leadership at Arizona State University, where she also chaired the Institute’s Human Trafficking Advisory Council.

Ambassador McCain’s work has particular resonance with AUR’s academic programs, especially the university’s MA in Food Studies, which explores the political, cultural, and environmental dimensions of food systems. Her career-long focus on implementing effective solutions to food insecurity exemplifies the kind of transformative leadership that the program aspires to cultivate in its students.

The conferment of this honorary degree will be a highlight of AUR’s 2025 Commencement Ceremony, celebrating not only the achievements of our graduates but also the exemplary contributions of a distinguished global humanitarian.

Henry Greiner
The American University of Rome
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