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When Taylor Swift – she of the hypnotizing voice and command presence – entered into the pantheon of celebrated singer-songwriters with such critically lauded and audience-embraced hit albums like Fearless, Speak Now and Lover, who would have ever guessed that the Pennsylvania native would one day go on to receive her doctorate from as distinguished an institution of higher learning as NYU; Yet that is exactly what is about to happen for the thirty-two year old We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together star, according to our information hounds over at Variety.
It was revealed on Monday morning that superstar recording artist Taylor Swift will be presented with an honorary doctorate in the field of fine arts from New York University this coming May 18. Not one to take such an honor for granted, Swift will not only accept the award but will also speak at the commencement ceremony at Yankee Stadium. Can we say ‘homerun’?
“I cannot overstate how thrilled I am to be coming together in person with graduates, parents, faculty and honorees for NYU’s commencement,” NYU Big Wheel (and president) Andrew Hamilton said in a press release announcing the accolades for not only Swift, but for the graduating classes of 2020-22 itself. “Since 2019, we have been deprived of commencement’s festive, communal joy, and its absence has been keenly felt. Few groups of graduates are more deserving of a celebration than these classes: their pursuit of their studies disrupted, isolated by a daunting pandemic, these classes – 2022, 2021, and 2020 – have distinguished themselves with their grit, grace, and forbearance. We reconvene at Yankee Stadium with a renewed sense of appreciation for the act of celebrating together in person, a recognition of our graduates’ enormous achievements, and a respect for their character and perseverance.”
Being honored with honorary degrees on May 18 alongside the graduates and Swift will be Lonnie Bunch III, Susan Hockfield, Jill Lepore and Felix Matos Rodriguez.
Swift is no stranger herself to NYU: The pop culture icon has had a class devoted to her work which has been taught at the prestigious university, a salient point which illustrates not only her overall popularity, but also the seriousness with which even academia approaches her body of musical work.
Congratulations to the classes of 2020-2022 for getting a real world moment – sans, thankfully, virtual – to bask in your accomplishments; a big congrats to Swift, too, whose new honorary title will be that o “Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa.”
