Rihanna has been named Harvard University's Humanitarian of the Year and is set to attend a ceremony on-campus to collect the award later this month. Presumably it will sit on her mantle next to her Grammys.
As The Harvard Gazette notes, Riri has been awarded the prize for her philanthropic contributions, including building an oncology and nuclear medicine centre at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Bridgetown, Barbados; creating a scholarship program for students in Caribbean countries to attend university in America; and supporting the Global Partnership for Education and Global Citizen Project, a campaign that seeks to provide children, especially girls, in developing countries access to education.
Previous recepients of the award, which "recognises public-spirited leaders," include education rights campaigner Malala Yousafzai, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, anti-child labour spokesman Kailash Satyarthi and actor James Earl Jones.
Previously Rihanna has performed in several charity concerts and helped a cancer-stricken mother find a bone marrow donor, among other charitable and philanthropic acts.
She's known for her little acts of kindness, such as signing a games console for an auction benefiting Mission Australia, being a 2007 Cartier LOVECHARITY Bracelet Ambassador and performing at Madonna's Raising Malawi/UNICEF fundraiser.
The announcement follows news that Rihanna, whose full name (not that she needs to use it, belonging as she does to the famous-enough-for-one-name club) is Robyn Rihanna Fenty, has joined The Beatles and Madonna in having more than 30 top 10 hits. Her latest chart-topper is Anti. The singer has sold more than 200 million records.
Rihanna will receive her latest accolade on February 28.
