This post was written by Hatchet staff writer Tatiana Cirisano.

It’s been quite a year for alumna Kerry Washington.

Last year’s Commencement speaker has gained wide recognition for her leading role in the ABC series, “Scandal,” and in January became the first black actress to be nominated for a lead Emmy since 1995. Now, she adds a new title to her collection: one of Time magazine’s most influential people of 2014.

The magazine, which released this year’s list Thursday morning, highlights Washington’s outstanding performance as Olivia Pope, the bold yet compassionate leader of a fictional crisis management firm in D.C.

The article also mentions her work with the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, where she has promoted public education and the arts in the U.S. since 2009.

Above all, the magazine praises Washington for her ability to transcend race and gender barriers and become a leading figure in the acting world.

Washington graduated the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences in 1998. Since then, she has starred in films such “The Last King of Scotland,” “Ray,” and the “Fantastic Four” series.