NORTHAMPTON— Four distinguished leaders in the arts, academia, health and wellness, social justice and innovation will be recognized with honorary degrees from Smith College during commencement on Sunday, May 18.

As part of the ceremony, each honorands will offer a few words of wisdom and congratulations to the graduates. Honorary degrees will be awarded to:

■ Danielle Allen: Professor of political philosophy, public policy, and ethics at Harvard University and founder and chairperson of Partners In Democracy.

She is also director of the Allen Lab for Democracy Renovation at the Harvard Kennedy School and director of the Democratic Knowledge Project-Learn, a research lab focused on civic education at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

She is a contributing columnist at The Atlantic magazine and was the 2020 winner of the Kluge Prize from the Library of Congress, which recognizes scholarly achievement in the disciplines not covered by the Nobel Prize. Allen received the Kluge Prize for “her internationally recognized scholarship in political theory and her commitment to improving democratic practice and civics education.”

Evelyn M Harris: Vocal teacher, former member of the world-renowned a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock, and a global performer for more than 50 years.

Harris was born and raised in Richmond, Va., where her passion for singing began at the age of 5. While attending Howard University, Harris learned “how” to sing although she credits Ebenezer Baptist Church in Richmond with her initial training saying, “I found God in music.”

Through her music, Harris weaves political activism with harmony and fosters community through song, finding ways to address racism, misogyny and other forms of discrimination with expressions of joy, hallelujah praising, and spiritual testimony.

Currently, Harris fronts her blues band StompBoxTrio, directs the Ujima Singers at the Northampton Community Music Center, and enjoys being a member of Young@Heart, a group of men and women aged 75 and above, performing covers of every musical genre.

Admiral Rachel L. Levine: Seventeenth assistant secretary for health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, accomplished physician, public health expert and LGBTQ+ advocate.

With degrees from Harvard College and Tulane University School of Medicine, and training in pediatrics and adolescent medicine at the Mt. Sinai Medical Center in New York City, Adm. Levine was appointed by President Joe Biden to serve as the 17th assistant secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

During her tenure, Adm. Levine was instrumental in the fight against COVID-19 and led the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, one of the eight uniformed services. As a physician, she focused on the intersection between mental and physical health, treating children, adolescents and young adults.

■ Preeti Simran Sethi ’92: Emmy-award winning writer, academic and mental health coach dedicated to advancing social, environmental, and personal change.

She is a Nova Institute Media Fellow advancing Asian mental health and well-being through medicines, healing modalities and altered states of consciousness that are indigenous to Asian cultures. Named one of DoubleBlind magazine’s “Influential, Innovative and Disruptive Women in Psychedelics,” one of the “50 Most Influential Global Indians” by Vogue India and the “environmental messenger” by Vanity Fair, she has written for outlets including The New York Times, National Geographic, Smithsonian, Guernica and The Guardian.