Central Connecticut State University has awarded 55 honorary doctoral degrees since 1985.^[1] Awardees have included the CEOs or Chairmen of seven major corporations, eight heads of state, and a variety of others. About half of these degrees have been awarded at commencement exercises at the university, and in most such cases, the conferee has given the commencement address.

Although significant non-degree honors have historically been awarded by the institution, honorary doctorates were not conferred until after Central Connecticut State College was renamed Central Connecticut State University in 1983. U.S. President Jimmy Carter became the first recipient on April 16, 1985,^[2] receiving a Doctor of Humane Letters.

CCSU presidents have presented other honorary awards such as the President's Medal, "the university's highest non-academic distinction".^[14] While there does not appear to be an official, published list of recipients, they include

• Provincial president Bruno Marziano of Siracusa, Sicily, who assisted CCSU in enrolling Sicilian students in CCSU's MBA program,^[14] "for his leadership and service to the University, to international endeavors and to the province of Siracusa",^[15] in 2002;

• Hartford Courant journalist Stan Simpson^[16] for Leadership and distinction in Journalism in Public Affairs, in 2003; and

• Sue Ann Collins, a senior vice president and chief actuary at TIAA-CREF, and member of the board of directors of the CCSU Foundation, in 2018.^[17]