​​Gary Alan Sinise

Actor/Director/Producer

California State University, Stanislaus

Gary Alan Sinise is an internationally recognized artist whose prolific and well-defined career as an actor, director, and producer has earned him a reputation that puts him in the top echelons of contemporary artistic achievement. Mr. Sinise made his professional stage debut at age 17 and, a year later, became a founding member of Chicago’s influential Steppenwolf Theater.

He has received numerous awards and honors throughout his remarkable career that include: Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for his appearance as the embittered Vietnam veteran in Forrest Gump; a Golden Globe award for his performance in the TV movie Truman; a third Golden Globe nomination for the TV movie George Wallace; a Best Acting award for All the Rage at the Milan International Film Festival; and a DVD Premiere Award as Best Actor in the feature film A Gentleman's Game. In 2004, Mr. Sinise began his first regular television series in the popular crime drama CSl: New York, and in 2006 brought his theater-trained voice to the widely acclaimed animated film Open Season.

Mr. Sinise’s humanitarian spirit is exemplified through two organizations he helped launch: The Lt. Dan Band—formed with Chicago composer Kimo Williams and named for the character Mr. Sinise played in Forrest Gump—performs for charities and non-profit organizations and at USO and other events dedicated to the U.S. Armed Forces worldwide; and Operation Iraqi Children—formed with author Laura Hillenbrand—enables Americans to send school supplies to children living in Iraq. The OIC later established the Katrina Relief Fund to support sending school supplies and other belongings to children affected by Hurricane Katrina.

In recognition of his tremendous impact on popular culture through his many years of excellence and extraordinary achievement in the field of theatre, film and television, and for his humanitarian spirit and meritorious service to society, the Board of Trustees of the California State University and California State University, Stanislaus are proud to confer upon Gary Alan Sinise the honorary degree of Doctor of Fine Arts.