Stormzy awarded honorary Cambridge Doctorate for scholarship

Rapper Stormzy was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law by Cambridge University in recognition of his transformative Stormzy Scholarship, which supports Black UK students financially to attend the university. Launched in 2018 and backed by his #Merky Foundation and HSBC UK, the scholarship has enabled 56 students to benefit from full tuition and maintenance support. Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Prentice praised the scholarship's significant impact on widening participation and equity in higher education. Stormzy's philanthropic efforts extend beyond education, including initiatives like #Merky Books for Black British authors and Merky Films, which recently produced the short film Big Man featuring Stormzy in his first lead acting role. This honorary degree marks Stormzy's second such award, following a 2022 doctorate from the University of Exeter for his contributions to higher education philanthropy. He was one of eight notable figures honored by Cambridge, alongside personalities such as actor Sir Simon Russell Beale and activist Professor Angela Davis.