HOUSTON - March 7, 2025 - Ruth Simmons, the President’s Distinguished Fellow at Rice University and a trailblazing leader in higher education, will be awarded the rank of Officer in the French National Order of the Legion of Honor, the highest decoration bestowed by the French government. The honor recognizes her contributions to the advancement of French arts and culture.
French Ambassador Laurent Bili and Consul General Valérie Baraban will award Simmons during a special ceremony at Rice March 11.
What: Ruth Simmons honored as Officer in the French National Order of the Legion of Honor
Who: Ruth Simmons, President’s Distinguished Fellow at Rice; Rice President Reginald DesRoches and members of university leadership; Laurent Bili, French ambassador to the United States; Valérie Baraban, consul general of France in Houston.
When: Tuesday, March 11 from 3:30-4:30 p.m.
Where: Rice University’s Cohen House, 6100 Main St., #2 Houston, TX 77005 (Enter “Rice University - Founder’s Court Lot” on GPS for directions to the parking lot, which is located next to Cohen House. Parking vouchers will be handed out upon arrival.)
Simmons, an esteemed educator and leader, has had a profound impact on higher education throughout her career. She previously served as president of Prairie View A&M University, Smith College and Brown University, where she was the first Black woman to lead an Ivy League institution. A scholar of French literature who is fluent in the French language, Simmons earned her doctorate in romance languages and literatures from Harvard University and has written extensively on French-speaking authors and poets in addition to serving as a French professor.
Simmons has spent much of her career advocating for an international experience in developing competent global citizens and leaders. During her time at Brown, her “Plan for Academic Enrichment” included a focus on international engagement as she encouraged faculty and students to travel and conduct their work abroad in an effort to expand the university’s global reach.
In 2013, Simmons was named Chevalier of the Legion of Honor by decree of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy. The order is divided into five degrees of increasing distinction: chevalier (knight), officier (officer), commandeur (commander), grand officier (grand officer) and grand-croix (grand cross).
Media planning to attend the grand opening should RSVP with Andrew Bell at ab208@rice.edu or Chris Stipes at cs216@rice.edu.