SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Nearly 25 years after leaving Syracuse University, Vanessa Williams will get her bachelor of fine arts degree this weekend.
The 45-year-old actress-singer, who stars in ABC’s “Ugly Betty,” will also deliver the convocation address Saturday to graduates of Syracuse’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.
Williams attended Syracuse’s drama department as a musical theater major from 1981-1983. She earned the remaining credits for her degree through industry experience and performances on stage and screen.
In 1983, Williams became the first black Miss America. She surrendered the title in July 1984 after Penthouse magazine published nude, sexually explicit photographs of her taken several years earlier.
Over her career, Williams has sold more than 4 million albums, won critical praise for her performances on Broadway, made dozens of TV appearances and starred in several movies.
She has won a Tony, received two NAACP Image Awards and nine Grammy nominations.
In 1996, Williams received the George Arents Pioneer Medal, the university’s most prestigious alumni award.
This entry was posted on Tuesday, May 6th, 2008 at 12:30 pm and is filed under Gossip Girlz. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Eh, what? Is this an honorary degree or what? It seems like a gift from the excerpt.
Ps. What happ to lil wayne going to college? Did he get cocky and stop b4 he graduated?
Blame it on the ‘purple drank.’
Better late than never right?
@ HustleHER– lol Last thing I read his prof. let him take his final late… that was last semester tho. Dude had online classes anyways ..
Ohhhhhhhh…. hmmm…. I thought he had online classes adn he was actually going to some. Dude I was happy for him. Gossip Girlz… YES! The Hawaiian Punch and prescription cold medicine! And he always sound congested. SMH… a REAL FRIEND would tell his ass something.
when I was living in Houston he was actually attending some classes. maybe online classes that require u to physically go to class 1 or 2 times.
last I read he was still taking classes…one of the reasons of the delay of The Carter III amoung other things.
congrats to Vanessa!