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Judith
Shapiro Citation
Doctor of Laws, honoris causa
Columbia University
May 21, 2008
Fourteen years ago, this community welcomed you as the tenth
leader of Barnard College. Your appointment as president was
a choice worthy of Barnard's motto — "Following
the Way of Reason." Your tenure has helped transform
the college. By virtually any measure, Barnard is thriving
today thanks to your leadership.
You have nurtured the Barnard community, strengthening ties
with alumnae and positioning Barnard as a prominent force
for the empowerment of women worldwide. You have overseen
the doubling of Barnard's applicant pool and the tripling
of its endowment. You have revitalized the curriculum with
the "Ways of Knowing" framework, a groundbreaking
approach to teaching that has influenced how many universities
approach their curricula. Your own scholarship in anthropology
has significantly advanced our understanding of gender in
cultures around the world and in our own. You have inspired
Barnard students, faculty and administrators to strive constantly
for excellence.
As a result, our academic community in Morningside Heights
has grown more rigorous, collaborative, creative, and influential.
The relationship between Columbia and Barnard has both deepened
and broadened, and both institutions are much the better for
it. As you leave your post this summer, know that those who
follow you build upon your extraordinary accomplishments.
For your transformative impact on one of America's finest
colleges; for your contributions to our understanding of the
people of the world; and for your steadfast commitment to
the education of women not only here, but everywhere; Columbia
University confers upon you the degree of Doctor of Laws,
honoris causa.
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