Washington--At a special convocation held in The George Washington University’s Marvin Center ballroom June 22, University President Stephen Joel Trachtenberg conferred an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on His Majesty, King Mohammed VI of Morocco. His late grandfather, Mohammed V, received an honorary doctorate from GW in 1957.

The King received an enthusiastic reception from the standing-room-only audience, among which were a number of Moroccan students and their guests who attend GW on an exchange agreement with Al Akhawayn University in Morocco. The North African University’s President Benmoktar was present at the degree ceremony.

In remarks at the convocation, President Trachtenberg noted that the King is "one of those rare people who has placed his abundant talents at the service of your people."

The President also commented on King Mohammed VI’s popular social initiatives in the areas of health care, education and improvement of the status of women in Morocco.

GW also sends exchange students to Al Akhawayn University—a small, independent undergraduate and graduate institution in Ifrane (AUI)—where all classes are taught in English and the curriculum and style of teaching are modeled on those of American higher education institutions.

Earlier in the week, in a special ceremony for friends of Morocco, President Trachtenberg was decorated by King Mohammed VI. President Trachtenberg was awarded decorations as a "Grand Officier Du Wissam Al Alaoui." President and Mrs. Trachtenberg were guests at the White House State Dinner in honor of King Mohammed VI held June 20.

"Reaching across oceans in ways such as student exchange programs and visits from leaders enrich us all and make the distances between us—both actual and cultural—much shorter and less important," Trachtenberg said.

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