Quantcast

Pharrell Williams named NYU commencement speaker

These grads are “Happy!”

Singer-songwriter (and Grammy winner) Pharrell Williams will address New York University grads at their commencement in May, according to the school.

The musician will also receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at the ceremony after being an artist in residence at the university’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Williams will speak to the students at the May 17 ceremony at Yankee Stadium.

He joins several other honorary doctorates, including former Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and her astronaut husband, Mark Kelly. The pair advocate for gun violence prevention after Giffords survived a gunshot wound to the head as part of an assassination attempt. They will both receive Doctor of Humane Letters degrees, according to the school.

Barbara A. Mikulski, the longest-serving female senator in U.S. history, will receive an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters. Mikulski, who served Maryland, retired a few months ago.