Outlander star Sam Heughan being awarded honorary doctorate

Can we say unequivocally at this point that Sam Heughan is having himself an incredible year? Pretty darn hard to argue it. This is a man who is currently filming Outlander season 5, he recently had a chance to meet Prince Charles at his alma mater the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, and he also recently took part in the My Peak Challenge Gala, an event that is very much a labor of love for him. This is without even going into a lot of the other ventures that he has going on, including his recently filmed role in Bloodshot or the whisky company that he is working in part to launch.

Today, the news is really quite remarkable. As it turns out, it looks (per Glasgow Live) as though Sam is being honored by the University of Glasgow with an honorary doctorate. It’s a pretty incredible foot, and it’s a sort of thing that really recognizes both his skill as an actor and an ambassador to the charity world. Through My Peak Challenge and some of its chosen charities (including Bloodwise, Marie Curie, and Cahonas Scotland), Sam has been in part responsible for bringing great awareness and funds to a number of worthy causes. His impact here will be even greater to some than any role that he plays.

The ceremony honoring Sam and many others will be held at the university’s Dumfries campus on July 3, and in a statement, here is what Professor Carol Hill had to say:

“This campus has grown in influence and impact since it was opened 20 years ago in September 1999 to serve the higher education needs of Dumfries and Galloway.

“In this our 20th anniversary year of celebrations, we at Dumfries are delighted to recognize and celebrate the achievements of our honorary graduates, representing a range of talents, careers and charitable interests.”

The location of the honor is of particular note given that Heughan grew up in nearby Balmaclellan — we like to think this adds another layer of significance to the announcement.

Obviously, this is an incredible achievement and Sam and his fans should be very much proud. It really goes to recognize his status as an icon within the world of Scottish entertainment, a feat he has accomplished in a reasonably short period of time. He and the rest of the Outlander cast have been greatly responsible for boosting the profile of the region, and that includes increased tourism alongside an awareness of the land, its cities, and its people. Even though Outlander itself is not currently set in Scotland (for the most part), the show does still film there and uses much of its wilderness in order to fairly replicate North Carolina. We imagine that season 5 of the show is going to Premiere at some point in 2020, so you’re going to be waiting a while to see what’s next in terms of the story.

What do you think about this achievement for Sam? Be sure to let us know in the comments, and stay tuned for some more news.

Photo: Starz