Dr. Taylor Swift?

There is no shortage of accomplishments when it comes to Taylor Swift. She’s a woman of many talents, constantly breaking her own records and raising her own standards. She’s won 11 Grammys, 28 AMA’s, Billboard’s Woman of the Decade Award, and a lot more. 

The “All Too Well” singer is about to be awarded in a new way, one she’s never experienced before. On May 18, New York University will be honoring Swift with an honorary doctorate in Fine Arts. She will also be giving a commencement speech at the Class of 2022’s graduation. Due to COVID-19, this is the school’s first speaker since 2019. Swift will be addressing the Classes of 2020, 2021, and 2022. 

NYU had already classified Swift with high academic acclaim, as the university’s Clive Davis Institute recently added a new course to its catalog: an entire class dedicated to Swift, her impact on the music industry, and her talents as a singer/songwriter. 

Brittany Spanos, an NYU alumni and current professor, pitched this class to the school with the idea that it could focus on any current mega superstar. Swift was at the top of her list and made it through the final cuts. This class deep dives into Swift’s feud with Kanye West, the process of getting her masters back, her classic track five songs and much more. 

So what even is an honorary doctorate? This is typically an honor awarded to an individual where all expected requirements of the degree are waived. The recipient usually attends a graduation ceremony and gives an acceptance speech or commencement address. Noteworthy individuals who’ve contributed greatly to society are most likely to be honored in this way. 

It’s common for celebrities to receive this type of recognition. Meredith Streep, Oprah Winfrey, Aretha Franklin, Kanye West and Muhammad Ali are a handful of names you may recognize that have all achieved this level of success. 

Even though the term ‘doctorate’ is usually abbreviated to Dr., it’s not customary for people to add that term before their name when it’s only in honorary terms. The university that presents the degree may continue to address an individual with the honorary prefix, however generally it will not be used. 

Swift decided to celebrate the announcement in her own way. On her merch website she added a brand new collection entirely dedicated to the Class of 2022, based off her 2012 hit single off the Red album, “22.” The collection includes numerous hoodies with the phrase “I’m feeling ‘22,” as well as cake toppers, paper plates/cups, balloons, and more supplies suited for a Swift inspired graduation party.