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Vanessa Williams Graduates College 25 Years On
May 11th, 2008Almost 25 years after she dropped out of college, ‘Ugly Betty’ actress Vanessa Williams has received her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Syracuse University after making up for final coursework through industry experience.
The 45-year-old actress and singer attended Syracuse’s drama department as a musical theatre major from 1981-1983, but dropped out to become the first black Miss America. Williams delivered the convocation address to graduates of Syracuse’s College of Visual and Performing Arts at the weekend, during which she encouraged her fellow graduates to "treasure this moment", reports the Syracuse Post-Standard. "These days are irreplaceable and are the beginning of the rest of your life," she said. Although Williams never completed her studies, she earned the remaining credits for her degree through industry experience and performances on stage and screen. Williams made history when she was crowned as the first black Miss America in 1983, but she was forced to surrender the title amid scandal in July 1984, after ‘Penthouse’ magazine published sexually explicit photographs of her taken several years earlier. Throughout her entertainment career Williams has starred on Broadway, on television and in films, and has sold more than 4 million music albums.
Photo courtesy of ABC. Taken by Andrew Eccles.
