A distinguished Harvard auditorium could have been mistaken for a sold-out concert hall yesterday afternoon (February 28) when Rihanna received one of the Ivy League university's esteemed awards.

Rih's work in charity and humanitarian efforts earned her the title of Harvard Foundation’s Peter J. Gomes Humanitarian Award for 2017, and as she received the honor at Harvard's packed Sanders Theatre, fans — who'd waited an eternity for seats — lost their minds.

"So I made it to Harvard," Rih began as she jokingly stroked her long ponytail.

Harvard elected to extend the honor to Rihanna for her contributions to the people of Barbados and surrounding Caribbean countries, according to The Harvard GazetteShe commissioned the building of an oncology center to diagnose and treat breast cancer at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital and also moved to provide education for many.

"I’m incredibly humbled to be acknowledged at this magnitude for something that, in truth, I never wanted thanking for." she told the crowd. "We are all human and we all just want a chance: a chance at life, a chance at an education, a chance at a future."

Rih also encouraged attendees to always help fellow human beings whenever they could.

"As I stare into this beautiful room, I see optimism, I see hope, I see the future," she said. "I know that each and every one of you can help someone else. All you need to do is help one person, expecting nothing in return. To me, that is a humanitarian."

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