Despite receiving many accolades for her music, Rihanna has just received her 2017 Harvard Humanitarian Award this week. The "Bad Girl" singer was presented with the award at Harvard University on Feb. 28 and delivered an inspiring speech.

Rihanna was awarded by the Harvard Foundation for Intercultural and Race Relations with the 2017 Humanitarian of the Year. The Barbadian native was honored for the work she did in her homeland of Barbados.

Before she was handed her award, Dr. S. Allen Counter from the foundation expounded that Rihanna built a modern breast cancer center at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in the island. According to People, Riri was chosen by the students and faculty of the institution for her passionate initiatives.

As Rihanna took the center stage, she acknowledged how she "made it to Harvard" in jest. Riri was in an off-shoulder gray dress with a sleek ponytail. She added that she was first inspired to help children and young people around the world due to the commercials she would see on TV.

Billboard reports that Rihanna once saw a commercial about how 25 cents could be enough to save a young child. She poignantly recounts that she once wondered how much quarters she would need to save all the kids in the world.

Rihanna encouraged the attendees of the 2017 Harvard Humanitarian Award ceremony to become humanitarians themselves. She adds that a humanitarian doesn't have to be rich, college educated or famous because all they need is to help one person without expecting anything in return. Rihanna didn't attend college but she hinted during her speech that she might pursue higher education in the future.

What do you think of Rihanna's charitable initiatives in Barbados and being the recipient of the 2017 Harvard Humanitarian Award? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

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