15 Surprising Celebrities Who Have Honorary Doctorates

Kanye West is making headlines yet again, but this time it has nothing to do with a single Kardashian: The rapper just received an honorary doctorate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Yes, that’s Dr. West, to you now.

“The nerves of humility and modesty when being honored,” he said in his speech. “A humanization, a reality of being recognized. And all I thought as I sit here, shaking a bit, is I need to get rid of that feeling.”

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West isn’t the first celebrity to pick up an honorary doctorate—actually far from it. For every Oprah Winfrey, there’s a Courtney Love, an Orlando Bloom, and—believe it or not—a Mike Tyson.

So, why exactly are so many famous folks awarded the prestigious degree when they have no affiliation with an academic institution? Usually, it’s because the star has made a significant contribution to a specific field or to society in general, and the school wants to recognize that.

Scroll through the gallery above from some seriously surprising celebrities who have picked up honorary doctorates over the years!