On May 19, 2018, Frieda was recognized at her alma mater Colorado College with an honorary degree in Doctor of Letters. In the video below, she is being introduced by Devaka Premawardhana, Professor of Religion. When he states that Frieda is “the first female African student in our institution’s history” students in the audience can be heard cheering. Premawardhana goes on to note that Frieda “exemplifies through her own border crossings the themes of freedom and confinement at the heart of her work.” He concludes by acknowledging her deep pursuit of her scholarly achievements.  She has risen to become one of the most preeminent critics of Francophone literature in the world. As he bestows upon her the honorary degree, the schools acknowledges her many academic advances since her time as a student at Colorado College.

Click here for more photos of the commencement ceremony