Maya Angelou was one of the most remarkable and influential figures to ever live. Born Marguerite Annie Johnson in St. Louis, Missouri in 1928, her life was marked by many accomplishments, accolades, and awards. She achieved a tremendous amount of success and recognition during her lifetime, both professionally and academically. One of her greatest achievements in the academic world was receiving a wide variety of honorary degrees from a vast array of respected institutions.
In total, Maya Angelou earned an expansive thirty honorary degrees throughout her career. These degrees were granted from prestigious universities across the nation, including but not limited to Harvard University, Duke University, Michigan State University, Ohio State University, Smith College, Brandeis University, and many more. Coming from a variety of different backgrounds, the honorary degrees that Maya Angelou earned portrayed her incredible dexterity and tremendous respect within in the academic realm.
Although thirty may seem like a significant number, Maya Angelou did not rest on her laurels, and continued to pursue educational excellence even beyond the completion of her honorary degrees. She was an avid author and poet and often wrote pieces exploring the themes of inspiration, oppression, and being an African-American in the United States. Her work earned her countless awards and great amounts of recognition from both popular and academic circles. Her efforts helped to further better the lives of those both in, and out of, the academic realm.
Throughout her life, Maya Angelou was a great example of how academic success can be achieved through hard work and dedication. Despite coming from a less than fortunate background, she was able to secure an impressive and unrivaled thirty honorary degrees, which is a testimony to her determination and will-power. Her successes demonstrate that anyone can overcome obstacles with the proper disposition and mindset.
Although no longer with us today, Maya Angelou will remain one of the most influential and important figures in the United States. Her story of success serves as an inspirational reminder to many that hard work and determination can pay off in surprising and incredible ways. One of these ways was the sheer number of honorary degrees that she was granted during her lifetime- thirty to be exact.
Types of Honorary Degrees
Honorary degrees are granted from universities across the world to exceptional people who have achieved great accomplishments. They are typically awarded in a variety of disciplines, such as law, science, music, literature, and so on. The type of honorary degree that an individual receives is often reflective of their professional achievements. In the case of Maya Angelou, her honorary degrees stemmed from her academic success, literary achievements, and social influence.
Honorary degrees are significant in the world of academia. They serve to both recognize and pay tribute to the exceptional achievements of their respective recipients. They also provide younger generations with further inspiration to continue striving for educational excellence. They serve as a reminder that dedication and perseverance is possible and necessary in order to reach one’s goals.
Additionally, honorary degrees represent a university’s respect and honor for the exemplary achievements of their recipients. The selection process for awarding honorary degrees is generally quite rigorous and involves evaluations from many respected professionals within a given field. That being said, the process for being granted an honorary degree is no joke, and should be taken seriously.
When an individual is granted an honorary degree, their name is included in the official registry of recipients for that respective university. This registry serves to both recognize and commemorate the accomplishments of those who are deserving of such an honor. Moreover, the individuals granted honorary degrees are often celebrated in a formal ceremony, in which their accomplishments are officially recognized and acknowledged.
What Made Maya Angelou’s Accomplishments Unique?
It is easy to see why Maya Angelou was granted thirty honorary degrees. In addition to her collections of essays, poems, and novels, her boldness and insight into social issues made her works critically acclaimed. She was highly regarded in the world of academia and her success was made even more impressive by the immense level of difficulty she overcame to achieve it.
Her courage to speak out against oppression and racism were incredibly inspiring and ultimately lead to her rise in social status and recognition. Additionally, she served a great deal of her community by making philanthropic contributions from her writing proceeds to charitable organizations. She was consistent in using her status to highlight pertinent social issues and keeping her audience engaged in the issue.
Her status as a celebrated vocal advocate for the African-American community helped a great deal in the push for civil rights. Despite the hardships she encountered in her life, including being a teenage single mother in her early life, she was able to overcome them and accomplish so much. Her success serves as an inspiring reminder that no matter where one may come from, they have the capability and strength to rise to the top. This made her an ideal recipient for an array of honorary degrees.
Service to Others
In addition to the accolades and awards that Maya Angelou earned during her lifetime, she was an exceptional human being and often put the needs of others before her own. She was an active philanthropist and participated in giving back to various charitable organizations throughout her career. One such example was donating part of the proceeds from her published works to the Arrupe College in Chicago.
She was also especially active in teaching and encouraging empowerment in the African-American community. She worked hard to give back to her community, and actively encouraged progress both in the form of civil rights, as well as social and economic advancements. She was an exemplary human being who used her talents and positions to the benefit of her people, a quality that contributed significantly to how many honorary degrees she was awarded throughout her lifetime.
She was a tireless advocate and fierce protector of human rights and civil rights, and was never one to pull punches with her words. When articulating her opinion, she was firm, determined, and remembered. Her point of view was often respected and honored by her peers and the public, which greatly increased her likelihood of receiving honorary degrees.
Maya Angelou’s unwavering passion and commitment to her ideals, as well as her dedication to the betterment of the African-American community, certainly went a long way in securing all thirty honorary degrees during her career. Her actions spoke volumes and she certainly left an indelible mark on the world.
Legacy
Ultimately, it is clear that Maya Angelou was a tremendously successful, influential, and impactful woman. Although no longer with us, her legacy will live on for many years to come. Her annual awards, worldwide recognition, and thirty honorary degrees serve as an indication of her efforts, accomplishments, and successes.
Her fight for civil rights and respect within society shape the world we live in today. The level of determination and perseverance that she was able to maintain during her lifetime is both impressive and admirable. She is a prime example of how when an individual sets their mind to something, the possibility for success is ever-present.
Her accomplishments were, and still are, greatly honored and respected. Her thirty honorary degrees remain a further recognition of her vast success and outside-of-the-box thinking. With this, her life remains one of the most celebrated and endorsed of our modern world.
Life and Works
The life that Maya Angelou led, and her works beheld, were both an inspiration and a blessing to many. From a young age, she faced considerable hardships, such as poverty and racism, which she eventually overcame and used as motivation to pursue academic success. Using her creative and imaginative mind, she was able to channel her thoughts and experiences into works of art that are lasting and impactful.
Additionally, her commitment to social justice, civil rights, and racial equality made her an extraordinary figure and earned her prestige and respect amongst her peers. Her works encouraged positive social changes through her works, which received ample recognition in the form of thirty honorary degrees during her lifetime.
Overall, Maya Angelou is remembered and honored for her dedication to academia and the arts. Her works of literature and poetry, her commitment to activism and social change, and her countless accolades are remarkable and extraordinary. Her legacy is something that will not soon be forgotten, and her thirty honorary degrees certainly serve as evidence of the passion and commitment that Maya Angelou portrayed throughout her lifetime.
