The Honorable Kimberly Budd, Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court and a native of Springfield, Massachusetts, was presented the Degree of Doctor of Laws at the University of Massachusetts Amherst 2026 Undergraduate Commencement Ceremony prior to her delivering the Keynote Address.
The following are comments from Fouad Abd-El-Khalick, Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs:
“Kimberly Budd, for your long and distinguished career of public service to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; for becoming the first Black woman to serve as Chief Justice of the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court; for upholding the law as an Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court; for sharing your expertise at New England Law and Harvard Law School and through Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education; and for championing representation and restorative justice throughout your legal career.” Chief Justice Budd is hooded and President Marty Meehan states:
“Kimberly Budd, by the authority vested in me by the Board of Trustees of the University of Massachusetts, I confer upon you the Degree of Doctor of Laws, Honoris Causa. In accordance with usual custom, you are entitled to all the rights and privileges which pertain to this degree here and elsewhere, in token whereof, we award you this diploma and invest you with the hood of a Doctor of Laws as a visible symbol of our high regard for you. Congratulations, Dr. Budd!” (emphasis added) ■