President Louise Richardson Bestowed Title of Chevalière

New York, NY,  December 11, 2025 – Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation of New York, received the insignia of Chevalière dans l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres from the French Ministry of Culture in a ceremony at Villa Albertine in New York City on December 4. Mohamed Bouabdallah, cultural counselor of France in the United States and director of Villa Albertine, presented the medal to Richardson for having “influenced how we engage with democracy, public policy, and international relations, and redefined universities and philanthropic institutions as places that actively strengthen public dialogue, connect disciplines, and societies.”

The Order, established in 1957 by the first French Minister of Culture, André Malraux, recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to furthering the arts and culture in France and throughout the world. Members of the Order include Carnegie’s late president Vartan Gregorian, filmmaker Jim Jarmusch, writer Joyce Carol Oates, historian Katherine Fleming, dancer Judith Jamison, and architect Richard Meier.

Bouabdallah described Richardson as embodying France’s motto “liberté, egalité, fraternité,” as a scholar, as an academic leader, and as a philanthropic changemaker. “You inspire us to approach global challenges with curiosity, humility, and a deep commitment to the common good,” said Bouabdallah. “You are a leader and beacon for generations of students, colleagues, and friends, and for all of us who have dedicated our lives to public service.”

Richardson’s career was described by Bouabdallah as dedicated to public service, including serving as an academic leader who has played an instrumental role in the development and evolution of several world-renowned institutions. She was the first woman to lead both the University of Oxford and the University of St Andrews. Over her career, Richardson has contributed academic research and analysis to the understanding of terrorism, broadened access to higher education, and played a key role in the development of the COVID-19 Oxford–AstraZeneca vaccine and its distribution at cost, which saved millions of lives worldwide.

“I am grateful, touched, and inspired by this award,” said Richardson. “I shall try to prove worthy of your confidence by being part of a Round Table where we robustly defend the value of the arts, of education, and of peaceful and constructive international relations…. It has never been more important to continue our friendships, to keep leaning over the walls that rise to divide us, and to keep our eyes fixed on the goals we share.”

Since becoming the first woman president of Carnegie in 2023, Richardson has focused the philanthropic foundation on decreasing polarization by supporting academic research, community service programs, and initiatives that bring people together, such as support for public libraries.

Carnegie provides philanthropic funding for the annual Paris Peace Forum and the Lafayette Fellowships for French and American students, created in 2025 by the French government to honor the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. The foundation also supports Villa Albertine’s annual Night of Ideas, which connects general audiences with public intellectuals, scientists, activists, and artists around philosophic questions at the forefront of American and international life. Carnegie has recognized 15 immigrants from France through its annual Great Immigrants Great Americans public awareness campaign that since 2006 has celebrated the contributions of naturalized citizens.

Richardson holds 11 honorary doctorates from universities ranging from Trinity College Dublin and the University of the West Indies to France’s Université Grenoble Alpes. She serves as a trustee on the board of the Booker Prize Foundation, and she is a member of the selection committee of the Aurora Prize for Awakening Humanity. In 2022, Richardson was appointed a Dame Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of her service to higher education by Queen Elizabeth II.

Read Richardson’s full remarks here.