Just as we were still reveling in the fact that Nigerian celebrated author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie was awarded an honorary degree by John’s Hopkins University, we’ve also learnt that she received another groundbreaking award. On the 17th of May during Barnard College’s 124th Commencement in New York city, she was awarded the 2016 Barnard Medal of Distinction, which happens to be the college’s highest honour.
Founded in 1889, Barnard is a women’s college of liberal arts, in partnership with Columbia University, which is dedicated to the advancement of women. Other recipients of the award include Anne Marie Slaughter, president and CEO of New America and Princeton University professor emerita of politics and international affairs; Sister Simone Campbell, public policy advocate and executive director of the Catholic social justice lobby NETWORK; Shafi Goldwasser, MIT professor of electrical engineering and computer science and winner of the prestigious A.M. Turing Award.
“It’s important for young women to remember that they are much stronger than the world tells them that they are”, advised Chimamanda, in addition to three other nuggets of wisdom – “Eat real food as often as you can. Be kind to yourself. And read books”.
Congratulations to our award winning novelist. She has indeed made Nigeria very proud!
Source: Barnard
