City College presents honorary degree to Michelle Obama, June 3

The City College of New York is to present an honorary degree to First Lady Michelle Obama at its 170th Commencement Exercises on June 3.  The event’s guest speaker, Obama will receive the degree Doctor of Humane Letters from City College President Lisa S. Coico.

The ceremony starts at 10:30 a.m., on CCNY’s South Campus Great Lawn.

An attorney, writer and the wife of the 44th and current President, Barack Obama, Obama is the first African-American First Lady of the United States.

Through her four main initiatives, she has become an influential role model and advocate for healthy families, service members and their families, higher education and international adolescent girls’ education.

In 2010, Obama launched Let’s Move!, bringing together community leaders, educators, medical professionals, parents and others in a nationwide effort to address the challenge of childhood obesity.

 In 2011, Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, launched Joining Forces, a nationwide initiative calling all Americans to rally around service members, veterans and their families and to support them through wellness, education and employment opportunities.

 In 2014, Obama launched the Reach Higher Initiative, an effort to inspire young people across America to take charge of their future by completing their education past high school. And in 2015, Obama joined President Obama to launch Let Girls Learn, a U.S. government-wide initiative to help girls around the world attain a quality education.

Click here for the latest information on City College’s 170th commencement exercises.

About The City College of New York

Since 1847, The City College of New York has provided low-cost, high-quality education for New Yorkers in a wide variety of disciplines. More than 15,000 students pursue undergraduate and graduate degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Science; Bernard and Anne Spitzer School of Architecture; School of Education; Grove School of Engineering; Sophie Davis Biomedical Education/CUNY School of Medicine; and the Colin Powell School for Civic and Global Leadership. U.S. News, Princeton Review and Forbes all rank City College among the best colleges and universities in the United States.