Griffith will honour seven notable community members with honorary doctorates during graduation ceremonies in Brisbane and the Gold Coast over the next week.
The recipients will be recognised for outstanding contributionto the legal, health, aviation, entertainment and creative industries and to the wider community, along with almost 5000 graduating students.
Among those to receive doctorates will be aviation industry leadersJulieanne Alroe, the CEO of the Brisbane Airport Corporation, and Annabelle Chaplain, Chair of Queensland Airports.
Ms Alroe, one of a few women worldwide to run a privatised airport, is regarded as one of the top business leaders in Australia and is overseeing one of the biggest infrastructure construction projects in the country –the $1.35 billion parallel runway at Brisbane Airport.
Ms Chaplain oversees the $300 million expansion of the Gold Coast Airport in her role as Chair of Queensland Airports.
Ms Chaplain’s transport infrastructure prowess hashelped drive the expansion of the Gold Coast’s light rail which along with the airport expansionwill be completed in time for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
Two of Queensland’s top judges, Chief Justice Catherine Holmes and former Chief MagistrateJudge Brendan Butlerwill receive their honorary doctorates atceremonies at theBrisbane Convention and Exhibition Centreon Monday. (Read: States Top Judges receive honorary doctorates)
Both judges headed major commissions of inquiry in Queensland that have shaped public debate and led to major overhauls of state systems.
Chief Justice Catherine Holmes, who was appointed the first female Chief Justice of Queensland, conducted the Commission of Inquiry into the 2010-11 Queensland floods, which saw 35 lives lost and 70 per cent of the state affected.
She also acted as Counsel Assisting the Forde Commission of Inquiry, which investigated more than 150 Queensland youth detention centres and orphanages.
Judge Brendan Butler also played a major role in uncovering corruption in Queensland.
He was Counsel Assisting the Fitzgerald Commission of Inquiry–a comprehensive investigation of long-term systemic political corruption and abuse of power in Queensland.
He later went on to chair the Criminal Justice Commission, and the Crime and Misconduct Commission (CMC).
John Kirby AM who led the Village Roadshow organisation as Chairman and is a respected cinema industry leader will receive his honorary doctorate for service to business, particularly the entertainment and creative industries, and to the community.
Others to receive their honorary doctorates include retiring St Hilda’s principal Peter Crawley, for services to education, and retired health executiveLibbyShakespeare, who was Chief Executive Officer of the Allamanda Private andplayed key roles in hospitals across four states, including Gold Coast and Tweed hospitals in particular.
Graduation ceremonies willbe held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre from Monday to Wednesday, December 12 -14, andat the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre on Friday and Saturday, December 16-17.
