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Mark Zuckerberg, one of the most famous college dropouts in the world, is finally getting his degree from Harvard.
No, the 32-year-old billionaire Facebook CEO isn’t going back to class. Instead, he will be delivering the commencement address to the class of 2017, and that means he'll also be receiving an honorary degree.
Harvard President Drew Faust explained in a statement to the Harvard Gazette that the decision to bring in Zuckerberg to speak at the 366th commencement was a no-brainer.
“Few inventions in modern times can rival Facebook in its far-reaching impact on how people around the globe interact with one another,” she explained. “And few individuals can rival Mark Zuckerberg in his drive to change our world through the innovative use of technology, as well as his commitment to advance science, enhance education, and expand opportunity through the pursuit of philanthropy.
The announcement comes 10 years after Harvard had its first tech billionaire dropout, Bill Gates, speak at commencement. The university released a short video featuring the pair in which Zuckerberg asks Gates for advice on what to say in his address.
Zuckerberg famously left Harvard as a sophomore in 2004 to move to Palo Alto, CA and pursue his then-fledgling social network. Over the past 13 years, it has grown into one of the most valuable, powerful, and influential companies in the world.
Zuckerberg will speak to Harvard graduates on May 25.
