Actress Jenifer Lewis and gymnast Simone Biles have received honorary degrees from Washington University.
On Sunday (May 12), Lewis and Biles were among the six individuals who earned honorary doctorate degrees from Washington University in St. Louis during the school’s commencement ceremony, per theGrio.
The Black-Ish alum received a doctorate in Fine Arts, while the Olympic gold medalist was awarded a degree in Humane Letters.
Dressed in a collegiate cap and gown, Biles also delivered the school’s commencement address.
“The world doesn’t need you to be perfect,” Biles said. “It needs you to be bold, it needs you to care and to keep going even when things don’t go as planned. So go out there and write your own story, only one you can tell.”
Lewis was a featured speaker during the university’s Brown School Recognition Ceremony. She was greeted by members of the school’s faculty and staff with a special homecoming spirit tunnel inspired by The Jennifer Hudson Show.
“Oh, Class of 2025—one day, you may stumble into a pit of wild animals, so with every step you take, pay attention,” Lewis said during her speech. “You’re about to venture into an unknown world—and oh, what an unknown it is. You’ve studied hard and you’ve earned your own arsenal of tools. Go out there and apply them with grace and compassion.”
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