Bouchet Graduate Honor Society

Bouchet Society

Co-founded in 2005 by Yale and Howard Universities and named for Edward Alexander Bouchet, the first African American doctoral recipient in the United States, the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society recognizes outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.

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Congratulations 2024 Bouchet Scholars

Five graduate scholars have been inducted into the Bouchet Graduate Honor Society for their role in cultivating inclusive environments, advocating for traditionally underrepresented students, and serving as leaders through academic excellence.

Meet the Scholars

Bouchet Society at UC San Diego

We seek to develop a network of preeminent scholars who exemplify academic and personal excellence, foster environments of support, and serve as examples of scholarship, leadership, character, service, and advocacy for students who have been traditionally underrepresented in the academy. More information about the annual call for nominations, applications, and scholar selection can be found on our Collab page.

Edward A. Bouchet

Born in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1852, Edward Alexander Bouchet is best known for becoming the first African-American to earn a doctorate degree in the United States (1876). The youngest of four children, Bouchet attended New Haven High School and continued his education at the Hopkins Grammar School. Bouchet graduated valedictorian of his class from Hopkins in 1870. That fall, he entered Yale College (later renamed Yale University) in pursuit of a bachelor's degree.