Missy Elliot receives another honorary doctorate degree and donates $20,000 to Norfolk State University.
On Saturday, Missy gave the keynote commencement speech for NSU’s 2022 graduating class. During the ceremony, Missy was given NSU’s Presidential Commencement Medallion and a honorary doctorate in human letters.
“I am proud of y’all, and y’all should be proud of [yourselves]. Now, I want y’all to look at each other and say, ‘You already won.’ Let ’em know. There ain’t no winning. You already won. Y’all could have been doing anything else these last few years. Y’all could have been wilding out, but y’all decided to finish the course, and that’s major,” Missy said.
In addition, Missy made a massive donation of $20,000 to the university to serve “areas of greatest need.”
Missy’s history with the university goes way back prior to her stardom. In her speech, Missy mentioned how she used to play her music on the campus even though she wasn’t a student.
NSU’s band was also in attendance at her street-naming ceremony in October. The band performed at the event as a section of McLean Street was changed to “Missy Elliot Boulevard.”
Missy received her first honorary doctorate from Berkeley University, along with Justin Timberlake, and other notable celebrities in 2019 for their musical influence.
