In a very successful year for rapper and actor Ludacris, Georgia State University has announced that he will be awarded an honorary degree at the school’s spring commencement. Last Wednesday, Apr. 14, the Georgia Board of Regents approved awarding the artist, whose real name is Chris Bridges, an honorary Bachelor of Science degree in Music Management. The university would later say in a statement that the degree honors Bridges’ “support of its creative media arts and law programs, his commitment to the metro Atlanta community, and his philanthropic endeavors.”

Bridges, who went to high school in Atlanta, would take classes at Georgia State in 1998 and 1999 before being signed to Def Jam Records. His success took him away from achieving a degree, which now after multiple decades he’ll finally have. “We are proud that Chris Bridges got his start at Georgia State,” Georgia State President M. Brian Blake said. “He has gone on to become a cultural and philanthropic icon, representing Atlanta and giving back in many ways. Our students in the Creative Media Industries Institute (CMII) and College of Law have benefited from learning from his career, and we’re excited to honor him as a member of the Panther family.”

In 2019, Ludacris returned on campus as an artist-in-residence at Georgia State University, mentoring students and working with professors dealing with entrepreneurship in the music and film industry. He also has worked with the school's College of Law for a course known as "The Legal Life of…" “This is a dream come true for me,” said Bridges. “Georgia State helped me get my start, and I am so honored and excited to share this milestone with the world.” The public is invited to attend the commencement ceremony on May 4 at 9 a.m. at Center Parc Stadium or online.