CBC's chief correspondent Peter Mansbridge received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Windsor on Thursday. (Karen Brady/CBC)CBC chief correspondent and host of The National Peter Mansbridge now has another title attached to his name — doctor of laws.

Mansbridge received the honorary degree at a convocation ceremony at the University of Windsor on Thursday.

Mansbridge, 62, addressed the 2010 graduating class of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

'I want you to know, when I get back to do The National, I fully expect to change the opening to "Good evening, I'm Dr. Peter Mansbridge".'—Peter Mansbridge

For all his successes, Mansbridge never graduated from high school, something he made light of during his speech to the graduates.

"You've worked your tail off for four years to get to this day, and you've watched me walk in here, and in five minutes, I get a doctorate," joked Mansbridge.

"I want you to know, when I get back to do The National, I fully expect to change the opening to 'Good evening, I'm Dr. Peter Mansbridge'."

Mansbridge told the students that in tough economic times, finding a job straight out of university can be extremely difficult but that they should not rule out any opportunity that comes their way.

"Dream big, but be prepared to start small, and always, always, dare to be different," said Mansbridge.

Mansbridge, who didn't graduate from high school, joked that while students had to spend at least four years at the university to get their degrees, all he had to do was show up Thursday. (Karen Brady/CBC) Students had a lot of laughs during Mansbridge's speech but said he also gave them food for thought.

"He really spoke well," said disabilities studies graduate Emmanuel Nimoh. "He was right about the fact that you have to be unique."

"I think it was a brilliant speech, 'cause it was funny and, at the same time, it gave us a lot to think about," said communications studies graduate Dali Rashid.

Thursday's honorary degree was not Mansbridge's first. In June 2008, he received an honorary doctor of laws degree from the University of Western Ontario in London, Ont. In May, he was named chancellor of Mount Allison University in Sackville, N.B.

"I've had a number of honorary degrees, and I'm trying to figure out how many you need before they all equal one real one," Mansbridge said.