Tyra Banks Talks Harvard, New Novel

Yesterday, Tyra Banks appeared on Good Morning America to discuss her new novel, Modelland, as well as well as her time spent at Harvard. The model turned multimedia mogul took part in the Owner/President Management Program at the university. The program—which takes place for three weeks in a year—requires participates to live in student dormitories.

Banks told GMA host Robin Roberts, “I was freaking out. When they told me that I’d have to be in the dorms, I was like, ‘Wait, there’s a hotel two blocks away. Can I stay there?’” She added, “They were like, ‘Do you want to come to Harvard?’” She also noted that the university refused her request for her to have her own security guards live in the next dorm room over.

In hindsight, she appreciates it, quipping, “Now, I would not have it any other way.” She then said, “I have bonded with these people. We’re eating together. We’re in our pajamas.” And eventually, her classmates lost concern about her celebrity. After a while Tyra said, “They’re like, ‘Oh, it’s Tyra, who cares? Let’s go study.’”