May 21, 1995
Brandeis to award honorary doctorate
She lectured at Harvard. Now Barbra Streisand is going to get an honorary doctorate from Brandeis.
Streisand was chosen because of her support of human rights issues and her contribution to the arts, said university spokeman Dennis Nealon.
Streisand will receive the honorary doctor of letters degree, her first, at the May 21 commencement.
Above: Streisand's commencement gown was auctioned in 2009.
Remembering Brandeis and Barbra's Honoray Doctorate
by Allison Waldman
It was on May 21, 1995, at Brandeis University that Barbra Streisand received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. While it was an honorary degree, there's little question that Streisand was deserving of the honor, and although she'd been offered similar designations over the years, it was only from Brandeis that Barbra accepted the honor.
Not surprisingly, when she received the degree and had her moment to speak, Barbra was gracious and humble. She turned the tribute to her accomplishments into a reminder that she is her father's daughter. Here's what Barbra said in her brief address:
“I didn't think I'd say anything today because I spoke last night but I do want to thank you so much from the bottom of my heart for this wonderful show of support. And I'd just like to say that this honorary degree means so much to me because my father was a teacher and he died when I was very young. I'd just like to say that I'm very proud to be affiliated with this prestigious international university and I know my father would be proud too. Thank you.”
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