Beatrice Chebet Awarded Honorary Doctorate for Outstanding Athletic Achievements

Beatrice Chebet, the double Olympic and world champion, has also achieved another milestone in her glorious career when the University of Kabianga awarded her with an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters. The great long-distance athlete was recognised on Friday, November 14, during the 13th graduation ceremony in Kericho County in the university, where thousands of graduates and dignitaries came to celebrate the achievements of the academics and society.

At the event, which was presided over by Parliamentary Affairs Principal Secretary Aurelia Rono as the Chief Guest, Chebet was applauded by her exceptional contribution to athletics and the growing national influence that she seems to have.

Rono, in her speech after the award, stressed the fact that the honorary degree was not only a testament to the outstanding performance of Chebet in the world arena but also to the role model she still gives to young people in Kenya.

Also during the function, an honorary degree was also awarded to Beatrice Chebet by the University which honored her tireless performance and outstanding performance in athletics.

Her life story is still an inspiration to millions of youths in the country, as she said, because the success of the athlete has become a cause of pride among young talents wishing to achieve something in the world of sport locally or internationally.

Chebet is not the first Kenyan athlete whose efforts outside the track are receiving recognition in academic institutions.

The same year one year ago, two-time Olympic champion in 1,500 metres, Faith Kipyegon, received an honorary degree by the University of Eldoret (UoE). Kipyegon received a Doctor of Education degree on November 21, 2024, in the 42nd graduation of UOE, in honour of her world dominance in athletics and her work in promoting education and mentorship initiatives in the nation.

UoE Vice Chancellor Professor Thomas Cheruiyot praised Kipyegon as someone who actively encouraged education to develop through her platform, as her impact was much more than in athletics. In October 2024, the institution already announced its intention to honour the record-breaking runner, and said that her consistency on the track and role in winning the hearts of millions of people globally made her a deserving recipient.

The move of colleges honoring Kenyan athletes who have done much for society has carried on as the legendary marathoner Eliud Kipchoge was awarded an Honorary Degree of Humane Letters (Honoris Causa) by the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) in December 2023.

The university also recognized Kipchoge as a humanitarian and a philanthropist, which contributed to his winning the award, which was awarded at the 41st graduation ceremony of the university, alongside his historic accomplishments in global marathon running.

In his acceptance message, he said that he is proud and humbled to accept the recognition because he believes that his little contribution to the development of humankind and societal progress is through the efforts made by the Eliud Kipchoge Foundation.

The award has sparked the urge to develop another notch higher in our efforts in supporting our education system and environmental causes back home in Kenya and outside. I am grateful to the Senate and Council of Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology to give me this award.

What we can all do is make the world a better place, enhance the significance of good education, and make the environment a better place. Chebet has now been incorporated into this very fine club of renowned athletes whose reach extends way beyond the sporting arenas. The fact that her new honorary doctorate is not only another trophy in her ever-growing legacy, but also that athletes are the ones who shape national identity, bombard society with its values, and inspire new generations, is crucial.