Angela Bassett can now go by Dr. Bassett—again!
The award-winning actress was awarded an honorary doctorate on Sunday from Morehouse College in Atlanta. She was honored for her leadership, service, and excellence that “set the bar high for women in Hollywood.”
It’s the fourth honorary doctorate the actress has received, having been honored three times by her alma mater, Yale University.
In her message to the class of 2019, the Black Panther star referenced Morehouse alumnus Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and asked the graduates to emulate him, but also forge their own paths.
“I want you to proudly walk in your own shoes,” she said, “and you know what it’s like when you get a new pair of shoes? I want you to be uncomfortable, I want you to be mindful, I want you to be wary.”
Bassett boasted about the honor on Instagram, saying that her “heart is full.”
Billionaire philanthropist Robert F. Smith, who gave the keynote address at the commencement ceremony, made headlines nationwide when he announced during the commencement that his family was creating a grant to eliminate the student loan debt of the graduates.
Congratulations to the 2019 graduates of Morehouse!