The acclaimed musician and philanthropist Stormzy has been elected an honorary fellow of Jesus College at the University of Cambridge.
The 32-year-old, whose full name is Michael Ebenezer Kwadjo Omari Owuo Jr, was nominated in recognition of his cultural impact and philanthropic work, having launched the university’s Stormzy Scholarship in 2018.
It’s the second accolade Stormzy has received from Cambridge. In June he was awarded an honorary Doctorate in Law for the scholarship programme, which funds Black UK students to study at the prestigious university.
To date, 68 students have been supported by the scholarship programme, backed by his #Merky Foundation, and 2025 will be the largest group so far, according to Cambridge.
Sonita Alleyne, the master of Jesus College, said: “Stormzy is an amazing storyteller, creative mind and champion for social change. His cultural impact is huge. We share many values, including supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds to reach their potential, tackling inequalities and using the arts as a force for good.
Stormzy with the master of Jesus College, Sonita Alleyne. Photograph: Jesus College/University of Cambridge/PA
“In joining the college, we believe he will inspire our current and future students and enrich our community.”
One of four siblings brought up in south London by his Ghanaian mother, a devout Christian, Stormzy shot to fame a decade ago after the success of his freestyle Shut Up.
He has reached the top of album and single charts repeatedly since, while achieving renown away from music for using his influence to champion social justice.
In 2020, he founded the #Merky Foundation, pledging £10m over 10 years to support organisations for racial equality and justice reform.
Branching into the world of sport, he launched #Merky FC in collaboration with Adidas in 2022 to champion off-field Black talent in football. It is headquartered in his home town of Croydon, south London.
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Beyond music, Stormzy’s ventures extend to publishing, theatre and film-making.
In 2022 he received an honorary degree from the University of Exeter “in recognition of his outstanding achievements in the field of higher education, philanthropy and widening participation”.
Stormzy was elected as a fellow of Jesus College alongside Julia Longbottom, a graduate of Jesus and British ambassador to Japan since 2021 – the first woman to hold the post.
Before becoming ambassador to Japan, Longbottom was the then Foreign and Commonwealth Office director for consular services globally. In 2020, she set up and ran what the department’s international coronavirus taskforce.
