Rihanna Receives Harvard University's Humanitarian Award

Because of Rihanna's work in her native island of Barbados and the charities she has founded over the years, the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations honored her with the 2017 Harvard Humanitarian of the Year award. In a ceremony held Tuesday (Feb. 28), Rihanna thanked the university for the honor and delivered an inspiring speech but, of course, had to start off with a little pat on the back for her achievement.

As we learned last week, Rihanna is Harvard University’s 2017 Humanitarian of the Year, an honor recognizing charitable efforts including college scholarships through her Clara Lionel Foundation and a breast cancer treatment center in her hometown of Bridgetown, Barbados. Today, Rihanna formally accepted her award in a ceremony at Harvard’s Sanders Theatre.

Taking to the lectern after being presented with the award by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations, Rihanna opened by joking: “So I finally made it to Harvard. Never thought I’d be able to say that in my life, but it feels good.”

“So, I made it to Harvard,” she said, opening the speech with a grin and hair flip. Rihanna then went on to explain how watching commercials as a child that encouraged viewers to donate 25 cents to save a life informed her attitudes toward charity.

So I made it to Harvard. Never thought I'd be able to say that in my life, but it feels good. Thank you, Dr. Counter, thank you to the Harvard Foundation, and thank you, Harvard University for this great honor. Thank you. I'm incredibly humbled by this, to be acknowledged at this magnitude for something that in truth I've never wanted credit for.

"So I made it to Harvard," Rihanna began as she jokingly flipped her hair. "Never thought I'd be able to say that in my life, but it feels good."