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Taylor Swift Receives Honorary Degree From New York University

By Oreoritse Tariemi

18 May 2022   |   8:38 pm

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Taylor Swift on Wednesday received an honorary degree from New York University. The singer received a Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, and delivered the commencement speech to the 2022 graduates at the Yankee Stadium. NYU awarded the Red singer the degree after Rolling Stone magazine writer Brittany Spanos gave a course on Swift's musical legacy. The…

Taylor Swift NYU Photo Pitchfork

Taylor Swift on Wednesday received an honorary degree from New York University.

The singer received a Doctor of Fine Arts, honoris causa, and delivered the commencement speech to the 2022 graduates at the Yankee Stadium.

NYU awarded the Red singer the degree after Rolling Stone magazine writer Brittany Spanos gave a course on Swift’s musical legacy.

The University’s official statement reads, “Miss Swift is one of the most prolific and celebrated artists of her generation. She is the only female artist in history to win the music industry’s highest honor, the Grammy Award for Album of the Year (AOTY), three times.” 

“She is the only solo artist of this century to have three albums reach No. 1 in one year,” it continued.

Taylor Swift said in her speech, “I’m 90% sure the reason I’m here is because I have a song called’ 22′”

“I’d like to thank NYU for making me technically, at paper at least, a doctor. Not the type of doctor you would want around in case of an emergency, unless your specific emergency was that you desperately needed to hear a song with a catchy hook and an intensely cathartic bridge section. Or if your emergency was that you needed a person who can name over 50 breeds of cats in one minute.”

Swift received her Doctor of Fine Arts honour from Jason King, chair of the Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music.

Judith Heumann also received an honorary degree for her remarkable efforts in fighting disability rights at the same occasion.