Phish To Receive Honorary Degrees From Vermont’s St. Michael’s College

Phish’s Trey Anastasio sings about having a degree in the band’s early-career song “Alumni Blues.” The guitarist and his bandmates will soon be getting an honorary degree from Vermont’s St. Michael’s College at this year’s graduation commencement ceremony.

Located in Colchester, Vermont, St. Michael’s College is a few miles away from Burlington, where Phish formed in 1983. Anastasio, bassist Mike Gordon, keyboardist Page McConnell and drummer Jon Fishman held a concert at St. Michael’s College’s Ross Arena on November 19, 1992, featuring the live debuts of several Phish original songs.

Saint Michael’s College 118th Commencement Ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 11. Fr. Gregory Boyle, S.J., founder of Homeboy Industries, will deliver the commencement speech. Along with Phish, Dismas of Vermont founder Rita Whalen McCaffrey will receive an honorary degree from the school.

Saint Michael’s College provided the statement below regarding Phish’s special recognition:

Phish, the iconic Vermont-based band known for their musical innovation and wide-reaching philanthropy. Through The WaterWheel Foundation and other initiatives, the band has championed causes such as disaster relief, environmental sustainability, and addiction recovery — making a lasting impact across the country.

The announcement from Saint Michael’s College noted Phish “will not perform at the ceremony.”

Phish’s Spring Tour 2025 begins tomorrow, Friday, April 18 with the first of two shows in Seattle. Watch all eight shows via LivePhish.com livestreams. JamBase will provide full coverage of Phish’s West Coast run via The Skinny sponsored by tryply. Visit the Phish Skinny Hub for show recaps, setlist breakdowns, statistical analysis and more.