Abilene Christian University presented six-time Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter Amy Grant with an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree March 28 at the university’s annual President’s Circle Dinner. Grant also performed at the event, which honors ACU’s most generous donors.
The honorary degree recognizes her extraordinary contributions to contemporary Christian music and her enduring impact as an entertainer, storyteller and artist, said Dr. Phil Schubert (’91), ACU president.
Though not an alumna, Grant has historic connections to Abilene Christian. The late Jeanette (Scruggs ’50) Lipford, a beloved voice teacher at ACU, was a close family friend and coached Grant in her early career. Three Abilene Christian alumni were instrumental in managing or producing some of Grant’s first albums: Michael Blanton (’73), 2019 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year; Brown Bannister (’75), who received an honorary doctorate from the university last year; and Chris Christian (’73), a Distinguished Alumni Award winner in 2015. Another alumnus, Nashville author and minister Don Finto (’50), encouraged Grant in her career, and Grant was a close friend of the late Dr. Bob Hunter (’52), longtime administrator at ACU.
In addition, one of Grant’s early performances – as a 19-year-old English-major college student in 1980 – took place in ACU’s Cullen Auditorium, now known as Boone Family Theatre.
“Tonight, in the presence of so many members of the ACU community, I am excited to award you the university’s oldest and longest-running recognition – an honorary doctorate,” Schubert said to Grant in presenting the degree Saturday. “It’s our hope that this recognition not only honors your remarkable career but also inspires future generations of artists – perhaps some in this room with us tonight – to pursue their calling with the same level of dedication and integrity. Thank you, Amy, for all you’ve done to impact the Kingdom and spread the Gospel.”
Other recipients of an honorary degree from ACU include Charlton Heston; Byron Nelson; Tom Landry; Kent Brantly, M.D.; and Laura Bush.
About Amy Grant
Grant’s career spans more than 40 years and stretches from her roots in gospel into becoming an iconic pop star, songwriter, television personality and philanthropist. With three multi-platinum albums, six platinum albums and four gold albums, her total career album sales have exceeded 30 million and over 1 billion global streams. Grant’s chart success includes six No. 1 hits, 10 Top 40 pop singles, 17 Top 40 Adult Contemporary tracks and multiple Contemporary Christian chart-toppers. In addition to her six Grammy Awards, Grant has earned 26 GMA Dove Awards (including four Artist of the Year Awards) and has been awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame as well as the Music City Walk of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. She also is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame.
– Wendy Kilmer
March 30, 2026