Kanye West and his wife, Kim Kardashian
Kim Kardashian is hoping to avoid complications during her second pregnancy. Here, she and husband Kanye West, arrive for the TIME 100 Gala in New York April 21, 2015. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Kanye West received an honorary doctorate from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) and took part at the school’s annual commencement on Monday. This garnered mix reactions, with some expressing dismay and disgust, while others were congratulatory. His wife Kim Kardashian was specifically proud of his achievement.

Rapper and designer Kanye was awarded a honorary degree after the dean of faculty and vice president of academic administration of SAIC learned that the rapper once wanted to attend the school when he was younger. Kanye attended the American Academy of Art on Michigan Avenue for a short period of time and then English at Chicago State University, when and where his mom was still the chair of the English Department. However, he left school at 20 years old. According to Wainwright, Kanye West, being a “major figure in the cultural landscape” deserves the right to have an honorary doctorate from them after he promoted art school, saying it is “cool.”

Wife Kim Kardashian, who is currently in Brazil, was one of the first people to congratulate him on the feat, calling him “Dr Kanye West.”

The reactions from the public were mix however. Corinna Kirsch, a senior editor of “Art F City,” an art magazine based in New York and an alumnus of the said school, said that she is dismayed. “As an alum of SAIC, I am offended that the school's exorbitant tuition and fees will help fund this nonsense,” she wrote. She added that it felt like a “gimmick.”

Chicago Tribune also said that weeks before the commencement, a lot of students and alumni were also violently reacting to the decision. However, come Monday at the ceremony, there seemed to be a shift in the air. Everyone seemed more positive and allegedly getting the reason why Kanye West deserves the degree. According to Rob Bondgren, dean of continuing studies, “As an alum myself, I thought that if art students don’t understand why he is worthy of being recognized, then they’re not getting the degree I got.”

Students who going up the stage on the same day as the star were quite excited, saying the experience is surreal. Most of them are excited to be in the same room as him.

For feedback, please email a.dee@ibtimes.com.au

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