Producer-director-writer and television personality James Lipton and labor leader Stephen Yokich will receive honorary doctoral degrees from Wayne State University during spring commencement ceremonies at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, May 2, in Detroit's Cobo Arena. Lipton will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree and Yokich an honorary Doctor of Laws degree.

Lipton is being recognized for his contributions to theatre, his literary achievements and his commitment to the education of theatre professionals. Yokich is being honored for his dedication to the rights and well being of workers and their families.

"An honorary doctoral degree is among the most significant honors an institution of higher education can bestow, and Wayne State University is pleased and proud to recognize James Lipton and Stephen Yokich in this manner," said Wayne State President Irvin D. Reid. "Each honoree has distinguished himself not only in his respective field of endeavor but through a strong commitment to higher education and to community service. They are certainly outstanding examples for our graduating students to follow as they embark on their own careers."

Lipton, the executive producer, writer and host of "Inside the Actors Studio," a popular weekly celebrity interview program on the Bravo network, has had a multifaceted career in the performing arts. He is an accomplished producer, director, playwright, lyricist and choreographer whose work has been seen in movie theaters, on Broadway, off-Broadway and on television. Particularly notable are his more than 25 variety specials, movies and performing arts programs for television, including Jimmy Carter's Inaugural Gala, 12 Bob Hope Birthday Specials and several "Movies of the Week."

He was a writer and co-producer of The Road to China, the first American entertainment program from the People's Republic of China. He wrote the Broadway hit Nowhere to Go but Up, and co-produced the Tony award-winning Ain't Misbehavin'. His best-selling book Exaltation of Larks has been in print since 1968 and his works have been published in Newsweek, The New York Times Magazine and The Paris Review.

A Detroit native who attended Wayne State, Lipton is dean of The Actors Studio Drama School at New School University in New York City. His Inside The Actors Studio show involves participation by students at the drama school who ask questions of the guest actor or actress. The television series is part of a course at the school.

Yokich has headed the United Auto Workers union since his first election as president in 1995. Prior to that he served five terms as UAW vice president, heading various major departments within the union, including General Motors, Ford, Agricultural Implements, Skilled Trades, and Technical, among others. During his terms as president, he has played a leading role in re-energizing the labor movement, developing new strategies to address the challenges of a global economy, expanding the UAW's organizing activities and strengthening ties with other labor unions.

A Detroit native who started his career as a tool-and-die maker in 1956following military service, Yokich rose through the ranks of the UAW, earning a reputation as a leader willing to try new approaches. During contract negotiations with a major automaker in the mid-1980s, he was instrumental in gaining specific contract language ensuring the union's role in quality issues, which impact on customer satisfaction and worker job security.

Yokich has long been a strong proponent of employee assistance programs, improvements in worker health and safety and educational opportunities. In addition to his responsibilities as UAW president, he is active in a wide range of civic and charitable organizations. He is founder of the Community Caring Program, which provides scholarships for disadvantaged children, and is co-chair of the Community Caring Program for Children, a program initiated by Blue Cross Blue Shield to provide medical care for needy children.

Wayne State University is a premier institution of higher education offering more than 350 academic programs through 14 schools and colleges to more than 31,000 students in metropolitan Detroit.

For information about commencement night, May 2, call the Wayne State Alumni Relations Office, (313) 577-2300.