Moutoussamy-Ashe's work has appeared in Life, Smithsonian, Sports Illustrated, Ebony, Essence, People and The New York Times, and been shown in solo and group exhibitions around the world at venues like the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC, the Schomburg Center, The Studio Museum of Harlem and The Leica Gallery in New York City. She is the author of three books. Daufuskie Island: A Photographic Essay chronicles the lives of the descendants of slaves who settled on the islands off the coast of South Carolina. Her anthology of the lives and work of early black women photographers, spanning the years from 1839 to 1985, is entitled Viewfinders, a wordplay on the framing device of the camera and the bold vision of these previously unrecognized pioneers. Her most recent book, Daddy and Me, was written for children. It is a family project that affectionately explores the "good days and bad days" her late husband, Arthur Ashe, shared with their daughter, Camera, during his final illness.

Moutoussamy-Ashe will receive her honorary degree along with three other highly accomplished individuals: Thomas M. Coughlin, president and chief executive officer of Wal-Mart Stores & Supercenters U.S.A.; Lawrence Prusak, executive director of the Institute for Knowledge Management at IBM; and Howard M. Lorber, chairman and chief executive officer of Nathan's Famous and a C.W. Post graduate.

Moutoussamy-Ashe is a director of the Arthur Ashe Endowment for the Defeat of AIDS, chairperson of the Arthur Ashe Foundation and a former trustee of The Cooper Union. She is also deeply involved in other civic causes in health, arts education and urban issues.

Honorary degrees are awarded to individuals who, through their perseverance, dedication to their field, and commitment to community, serve as role models to students. Dr. David J. Steinberg, president of Long Island University, will confer Lawrence Prusak's honorary degree during commencement ceremonies at the C.W. Post Campus on May 13.