Taylor Swift is Feeling ’22 at NYU, Receiving Honorary Degree & Giving Commencement Speech

Taylor Swift has been feeling 22 since 2012, but this year, she’s feeling ’22 once again.

On March 28, New York University President Andrew Hamilton announced Swift as the commencement speaker for the NYU Class of 2022. In addition to speaking at the ceremony, she will receive an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts, the degree honoris causa. So, while Swift has played stadiums before, on May 18, she will deliver her first commencement speech and receive her doctoral degree at Yankee Stadium. 

Because the last two commencement ceremonies were disrupted by the pandemic, a later ceremony will honor the classes of 2020 and 2021.

Hamilton shared his excitement in a statement earlier today: “Since 2019, we have been deprived of Commencement’s festive, communal joy, and its absence has been keenly felt,” he said. “Few groups of graduates are more deserving of a celebration than these classes. Their pursuit of their studies disrupted, isolated by a daunting pandemic, these classes—2022, 2021, and 2020—have distinguished themselves with their grit, grace, and forbearance.

“We reconvene at Yankee Stadium with a renewed sense of appreciation for the act of celebrating together in person, a recognition of our graduates’ enormous achievements, and a respect for their character and perseverance,” he said.

This is not the first time Swift has been recognized by NYU. NYU’s Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music offered the first-ever Taylor Swift class for undergraduate students this semester. Brittany Spanos, a senior writer at Rolling Stone, is currently teaching the class.  

To celebrate, Swift also released a collection of Class of 2022 merchandise on her online store. The “I’m Feeling ‘22 Graduation Collection” features university-style spirit wear with Swift’s cat Meredith as a mock mascot. 

Swift has been recognized as an expert songwriter for years. Being named a Doctor of Fine Arts reflects her musical achievements and influence on younger generations. After over 15 years of great records, it is certainly well-deserved.

Photo courtesy of Beth Garrabrant.