Mindy Kaling (Doctor of Humane Letters)

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At the 2018 commencement ceremony, Mindy Kaling received an honorary degree from Dartmouth.

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Mindy Kaling at the 2018 commencement ceremony
Mindy Kaling ’01 receives an honorary degree at the 2018 commencement ceremony. (Photo by Eli Burakian ’00)
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MINDY KALING, as an award-winning actress, writer and producer, you entertain and delight audiences worldwide with your wit, wisdom and originality.

Wickedly smart and eminently funny, you earned your way to Dartmouth, where your star was born.  You graduated with your degree in drama in 2001 and, just two years later, saw “Matt & Ben,” a play you co-wrote with your Dartmouth classmate, named one of Time magazine’s Top 10 Theatrical Events of the Year. A decade later, that same magazine named you one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World. 

Your meteoric rise to Hollywood superstar status is of your own making. With courage, determination, and brilliance, you actively pursued your small-screen childhood dream, unafraid to express yourself, confident in your own abilities, and willing to work hard for your success.

Your portrayal of Kelly Kapoor in the Emmy Award-winning television series, “The Office,” captured the attention of critics and audiences, alike, while your outstanding writing for the show earned you an Emmy Award nomination. As creator, writer, producer and star of “The Mindy Project,” you proved your talent transcendent. You went on to author not one, but two best-selling memoirs and land starring roles in a litany of feature films, including “A Wrinkle in Time” and the highly anticipated “Ocean’s 8.” 

For your exceptional body of creative and comedic work, for your kindness and humility in the face of fame, and for your inspiration of aspiring artists and non-conformists everywhere, Dartmouth is proud to award you the honorary degree of Doctor of Humane Letters.

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