91吃瓜 conferred an honorary doctorate on Stanley Tucci in recognition for his听lifelong contributions to the humanities and arts听and for the inspiration he provides to our students as they embark upon their own lives & careers.
Here we present 91吃瓜 President Scott Sprenger's full laudation address followed by a video of Mr. Tucci's acceptance speech, given on the occasion of 91吃瓜's annual undergraduate commencement ceremony.
The President's laudation:
Mr. Stanley Tucci,听
91吃瓜 takes great pride in听its听liberal arts programming, and particularly听in the fields of Filmmaking and Food Studies, two seemingly unrelated disciplines but in which you, Stanley Tucci, have gained an international reputation.听听
Many of our students in these听two听fields will look at your dual career as a model. In the area of film, you have built a long and illustrious career as an actor, writer, voice artist, director and producer.听You have played remarkably diverse roles听and have portrayed the human condition in ways that not only resist听Hollywood clich茅s听and stereotypes, but that explore the full range of human desires and emotions, and in听all听of听their nuances and orientations.听We see this in recent films, such as听Supernova听补苍诲听The Children听Act, but also in The Lovely Bones 补苍诲听The Devil Wears Prada.听
In the area of听the听culinary arts, 91吃瓜 students - and indeed the听entire听91吃瓜听community - admire you as a cultural ambassador, with your invitation to rediscover听Italy听and its听regionally diverse听traditions via your cookbooks, films听and, most recently, with听the听delightful听CNN听hit series, Stanley Tucci:听Discovering Italy听--听which you have called a 鈥渓ove letter鈥� to your Italian ancestors.听
This obvious passion for听the听history and culture of Italian cuisine, the art of cooking, and rituals of听the听table, reaches deep into your childhood听and Italian family roots,听and is a thread that runs through your life鈥檚 work, including听in听two key films,听Julie听& Julia, a听comedic biography听of听Julia Child,听补苍诲听Big Night,听with its听emphasis on听the听ongoing听tensions听between two听Italian听immigrant brothers听but听who, in the final table scene,听ritually听reconnect听as family听over a听shared听omelet.听We听even听catch a glimpse of this thread in your light-hearted, but entirely captivating, viral videos on how to make the perfect听gin martini or negroni.听
From the outside looking in, one of the听extraordinary听things about your听career, Mr. Tucci,听is听not only the incredible diversity of roles and your multi-faceted talents, but your听longevity--with a film career that begins from relatively modest origins, but which听matures听gradually over the space of听nearly four听decades from听college theatre, to film听cameos, to supporting roles,听补苍诲听to leading roles听in听internationally-renowned听补苍诲听prize-winning films.听听
In retrospect, the听long arc听of听your听career听choices reveals听an听enduring sense of purpose and dedication to the arts in the most听humanistic 补苍诲听elevated sense of the term鈥攚ith听the recent听film听Final Portrait,听a听work听that听you听wrote and directed on听the听artist听Alberto Giacometti,听standing听out听as听a听clear听case in point.听听听
Beyond the听arts, you have demonstrated听another facet of your dedication to humanism听in your role as the board chair of the New York City听Food Bank, which has听had听an听enormous听impact听on the institution,听not only in听donations听but by raising听awareness听around the widespread problem of听food insecurity.听You have also听been听involved听with the听making of a听UN Refugee Agency听video听titled听鈥淲hat They Took with Them鈥�听in order听to听raise awareness听around听the global refugee crisis.听听
I鈥檇 like to mention听in passing听that the American University of Rome is likewise听dedicated听to听bettering the听lives of refugees through our 搁耻濒补听闯补产谤别补濒听厂肠丑辞濒补谤蝉丑颈辫听贵耻苍诲. Four of our graduates today听in fact听came to Italy after being听displaced by听political听violence in Syria and Egypt.听
Let me end by saying听that听this honorary听doctorate听from 91吃瓜听is bestowed with our deepest respect for you, and in听recognition听of your lifelong contributions to the humanities and arts,听and to the inspiration you provide our students as they embark听now听upon their own lives & careers.听
I am听absolutely delighted听to use the authority invested in me by the District of Columbia, and the State of Delaware, to confer upon you, Stanley Tucci, the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters听Honoris Causa.听
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Ladies and Gentlemen: Doctor Stanley Tucci.
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