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L: Jeff Clarke ’83 (photo by Eastman Kodak Company); R: Rebecca Wilson Bresee ’93 (photo by Disney).

Two ºÚÁÏÍø alumni will receive honorary degrees at this year’s undergraduate Commencement ceremonies on Saturday, May 16. Receiving an honorary degree and speaking at the morning ceremony is Rebecca Wilson Bresee ’93; Jeff Clarke ’83, MBA, will receive an honorary degree and speak at the afternoon celebration.

Rebecca Wilson Bresee has had a 30-year career as an animator with the Walt Disney Animation Studios, helping to create everything from puppies to princesses and working on several of the highest grossing films of all time.

Earning her first credit on the movie Dinosaur, Bresee has since worked on a host of feature films, including Treasure Planet, Chicken Little, Meet the Robinsons, Bolt, Tangled, Wreck-It Ralph, Big Hero 6, Zootopia, Moana, Raya and the Last Dragon, Encanto, Moana 2, and Zootopia 2. She served as the animation supervisor of Anna on the film Frozen. Bresee then went on to work as one of the heads of animation on Frozen Fever, Frozen 2, the Disney+ original short film Once Upon a Snowman, and Disney Animation’s 100 year film Wish. She’s currently working as animation supervisor for Anna on Frozen 3.

Bresee received a Bachelor of Arts degree in studio art from ºÚÁÏÍø in 1993 and attended Sheridan College to specialize in animation. She’ll receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree for her professional and artistic achievements.

Jeff Clarke has a 40+-year career as a business executive, serving leading technology companies such as Eastman Kodak, Digital Equipment Corporation, Compaq Computer, Hewlett-Packard, CA Software, Travelport, FTD, and Insurity. He led the IPO of Orbitz Worldwide in 2007 and has served on the boards of directors for technology companies such as Autodesk, Compuware, Doxim, Generate Life Sciences, Red Hat, and UTStarcom.

Appointed as CEO of Kodak in 2015, Clarke led its emergence from bankruptcy, rebuilding the company by expanding its printing, chemicals, and licensing business. His decision to continue to invest in the manufacture and production of celluloid film for photography and movies led to partnerships with key Hollywood studios and film directors, such as Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino. That decision process was featured in the Harvard Business School case study The Reinvention of Kodak, published in 2018.

Clarke holds a BA in economics from ºÚÁÏÍø and an MBA from Northeastern University. He has supported his alma maters by serving on the Geneseo Foundation Board and as a Northeastern University trustee. Clarke will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree for his significant contributions to business leadership.

Geneseo’s commencement ceremonies begin at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Both are in the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena.