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Complaining about your commencement speaker is a time-honored tradition. This year, students at several institutions have bemoaned their schools’ selections, including Harvard (J.K. Rowling), the University of Georgia (Clarence Thomas) and Northwestern Law (Jerry Springer). And it’s not just college students. Karl Rove was recently disinvited to speak at Choate—an elite Connecticut boarding school—after students threatened a walkout.
Most speeches end up being conversational tidbits (”So, who was your speaker?”) But every once in a while, a commencement address lives on long after graduation in books or email forwards or YouTube clips. Here are seven such examples.
1. Steve Jobs, Stanford University, 2005
“Truth be told, I never graduated from college. This is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation.”
My sister was a member of Stanford’s Class of ‘05. Jobs’ address won her eternal family bragging rights for most memorable graduation. (Soon after, my grandma bought an iMac.) In a speech that’s been viewed by almost two million people on YouTube, the Apple co-founder told three inspiring stories about his life. Here’s a little Jobsian wisdom:
“You can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something—your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life. ”
* * *
“Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m convinced that the only thing that kept me going was that I loved what I did. You’ve got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
* * *
“Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”
If you’re not among those two million YouTube viewers, here it is:
2. Mumia Abu-Jamal, Evergreen College, 1999
Mumia Abu-Jamal delivered his 13-minute speech via audiotape. He was unable to attend the Washington school in person, for he was on death row in Pennsylvania.
The ceremony’s inclusion of Abu-Jamal, who in 1982 was convicted of murdering a police officer after a controversial trial, incited widespread debate. Washington Governor Gary Locke—a former prosecutor—canceled his own scheduled address to show respect for law-enforcement officers, though he commended the students for their “efforts to develop a graduation program that includes a diversity of views.” Congressman Tom DeLay called for a moment of silence on the House floor to protest.
In 2001, Abu-Jamal’s conviction was upheld, but the death sentence was overturned.
3. Fred Rogers, West Virginia University, 1995
Mr. Rogers was a regular on the graduation circuit. We chose his 1995 address at WVU because it was unlike so many “you can do whatever you want!” pep talks. He illustrated the message “wishing isn’t enough” through a story about trying to become a Broadway composer. As a freshman, he landed an interview with a famous songwriter, and was prepared to drop out of school to realize his dream.
“That’s not what happened. The famous composer was very welcoming to me. He asked me to play a couple of those original songs for him, and he listened intently while I played them and sang the words as well as I could. When I was finished, he said, ‘Very nice, Fred. Now, how many songs have you written?’ I told him five, and I had brought them all. Then he said something that has become very important to me. He said, ‘I’d like you to come back after you’ve written a barrel-full, and we’ll talk again.’”
Mr. Rogers ended on a high note: “After the initial disappointment, I got to work; and through the years, one by one, I have written a barrel-full of songs…I wished to be a songwriter, and I attached my work to my wish and that wish came true.” But at least one student didn’t go home happy. “On graduation day, that was the last thing that needed to be said,” a WVU grad told USA Today. “I was so shocked and disappointed that it turned what should have been the greatest day of my life into one of the most surreal.”
4. Russell Baker, Connecticut College, 1995
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author’s address got to the heart of the whole commencement speaker tradition.
“Let’s plunge right ahead into the dull part. That’s the part where the commencement speaker tells the graduates to go forth into the world, then gives advice on what to do when they get out there. This is a ridiculous waste of time. The graduates never take the advice, as I have learned from long experience. The best advice I can give anybody about going out into the world is this: Don’t do it. I have been out there. It is a mess.”
Baker went on to list “10 Ways to Avoid Mucking Up the World More Than It Already Is.” His advice was wide ranging, from “sleep in the nude” to “if you simply cannot resist being an incompetent klutz, don’t boast about it by wearing a t-shirt that says ‘underachiever and proud of it.’”
5. Neil Diamond, NYU, 1995
Neil Diamond attended New York University on a fencing scholarship, but didn’t graduate. “I dropped out 35 years ago,” he said, “and today I told my mom that I was going to receive an honorary degree.” Diamond then launched into an extemporaneous rendition of “Louie, Louie.” According to The New York Times, the audience cheered and danced. Had YouTube been around in 1995, this is the kind of thing the Neil Diamond-loving public would still be emailing each other.
6. Ali G, Harvard (Class Day), 2004
Ali G was not the commencement speaker in 2004—that honor belonged to Kofi Annan. But Sacha Baron Cohen did address the soon-to-be graduates in full Ali G regalia at the annual Class Day celebration. Class Day, according to the Harvard Gazette, is the “student-focused, less formal celebration of the graduating class of Harvard College.” Having two big names like Ali G and the U.N. Secretary-General could have been awkward. “Kofi Annan’s speech is pretty much like this,” said Ali G. “He’s going to have to come up with all new material.”
Here’s a taste of what 2004 Harvard grads (and their grandparents) were treated to:
7. Mary Schmich, 1997
In 1997, news of Kurt Vonnegut’s inspiring M.I.T. commencement speech was buzzing around the Internet. Perhaps this landed in your Prodigy inbox:
Wear sunscreen.
If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long-term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. I will dispense this advice now.
Problem is, Kurt Vonnegut did not give a 1997 commencement speech at M.I.T., inspiring or otherwise. In fact, these remarks aren’t his at all. No, the widely circulated advice belongs to Mary Schmich, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune. It was published in the Tribune on June 1, 1997. Here’s how she wrapped it up:
Be careful whose advice you buy, but be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia. Dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it’s worth.
But trust me on the sunscreen.
You can read the full text here.
And here are just a few of this year’s speakers:
George W. Bush (Air Force Academy & Furman)
Bill Clinton (UCLA)
Al Gore (Carnegie Mellon)
Cal Ripken (Delaware)
Mary Matalin and James Carville (Tulane)
Michael Bloomberg (UPenn & Barnard)
Dave Eggers (Brown)
Bill Nye (Johns Hopkins)
Craig Newmark (Case Western Reserve)
Chris Matthews (Washington U.)
Brian Williams (Ohio State)
Oprah Winfrey (Stanford)
Do you have fond memories of your graduation speaker? Who was it?
Special thanks to researcher Kathleen Pierce (Vassar, ‘99) for her indispensable assistance. Her commencement speaker was James Earl Jones, who ended his address by saying “May the force be with you.” Coming from Darth Vader, this didn’t sound right.
Comments (72)
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posted by jack on 5-16-2008 at 8:14 am
What a little searching will do…
Neil Diamond at NYU in 1995 on YouTube… not Louie Louie but it’s something (”Forever NYU”):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AR3_GcnMnyg
posted by E.G. on 5-16-2008 at 8:27 am
Ha! I never got the memo that said Vonnegut never gave the sunscreen speech. I was definitely guilty of forwarding that around in my compuserve days.
posted by Lynne on 5-16-2008 at 8:39 am
I went to a small, private university in a little mid-western town. Our commencement speaker owned a car dealership in the state capital (you know, the *big* city). His kid was a graduating senior.
Truly memorable.
posted by Rae Rae on 5-16-2008 at 8:44 am
George Tenet, who at the time was the Director for the CIA, was the commencement speaker at my graduation from Texas A&M University. The commencement address was given to us in May, 2004. His speech was the typical, “Go out into the world and make a difference”.
The funny part was that he quit three weeks later, due to the mire of accusations about faulty intelligence of WMD’s, which were ultimately the reasons we waged war on Iraq. Very inspiring!
posted by Valerie on 5-16-2008 at 8:58 am
Ours (last year) was the CEO of Wendy’s, because she graduated from our school. It was alright- but made better by the $5 gift cards to Wendy’s we all received.
posted by Kelly J on 5-16-2008 at 9:00 am
My graduating speaker was a retiring professor beloved by every student. But no one here cares about him.
My brother’s college graduation (Texas Tech University) speaker was the current Governor of Texas, Rick Perry. Evidently he didn’t read about what a commencement speach is suppossed to be and instead gave a stump speech about his accomplishments as Governor of Texas (I, as a member of his party, will tell you Perry has NOTHING to brag about!)
posted by Witty Nickname on 5-16-2008 at 9:02 am
My graduation speaker was Tom Brokaw at Florida State in 2006. I don’t remember much about his speech, but I do remember the university president knocking Tom’s hat off as he was trying to hood him.
posted by Holly on 5-16-2008 at 9:06 am
George W. Bush gave the commencement address at my graduation from Notre Dame in 2001. I don’t remember too much about it, except that he quoted Lyndon Johnson and Bill Clinton.
posted by Jere on 5-16-2008 at 9:16 am
Wow, Jack is posting a mentalfloss link on surfurls.com every day! Thanks for the spam! I have not been to the site (and I won’t be going there) but if I wanted a bunch of links to mentalfloss articles I would go to…. MENTALFLOSS.COM
posted by re: jack on 5-16-2008 at 9:20 am
The best commencement speech never given:
boortz.com/more/commencement.html
posted by Sam on 5-16-2008 at 9:22 am
Note: The following story is probably apocryphal, but it’s too good not to pass on.
Winston Churchill, some time after World War II, was asked to give the commencement at Oxford. He was introduced by some high muckety-muck who went on and on and on about the many accomplishments of the former Prime Minister, and what an honor it was to have him, blah blah blah. After that long-winded intro, Churchill stepped up to the lectern, said, “Never, ever, ever, ever, ever give up,” and sat down.
The students, of course, loved it.
posted by Etrigan on 5-16-2008 at 9:23 am
I went to a small, liberal arts Jesuit school, so we had a bishop speak. Nothing too exciting about that.
I loved Conan O’Brien’s Harvard Class Day speech. The whole speech is hilarious, but here is an excerpt of my favorite part:
“You see, you’re in for a lifetime of ‘And you went to Harvard?’ Accidentally give the wrong amount of change in a transaction and it’s, ‘And you went to Harvard?’ Ask the guy at the hardware store how these jumper cables work and hear, ‘And you went to Harvard?’ Forget just once that your underwear goes inside your pants and it’s ‘and you went to Harvard.’ Get your head stuck in your niece’s dollhouse because you wanted to see what it was like to be a giant and it’s ‘Uncle Conan, you went to Harvard!?’”
posted by caroline on 5-16-2008 at 9:23 am
The person who delivered my commencement speach was so unremarkable I don’t even remember who he was or what he said. However, I do remember being in the same graduating class as Emmitt Smith, even though he started college 8 or 10 years before I did.
What’s with the WVU student being disappointed with Fred Rogers? His message was essentially that success comes as the result of hard work. How is that message either shocking or disappointing?
posted by Florida on 5-16-2008 at 9:31 am
In 1994, my master’s graduation speaker was Hillary Clinton (University of Illinois). I don’t remember what she said, but I do recall that she was interesting and blessedly brief!
posted by Julie on 5-16-2008 at 9:41 am
Funny, I was just talking about this the other day with a guy who had been called in last minute (two weeks notice) to give the commencement speech at his high school alma mater.
My college commencement (LSU ‘03) speaker was Lynn Cheney. Dick was supposed to show up but had to stay in Washington for a tie-breaker vote that ended up not being needed. Lynn was pretty good — and as a Democrat at a pretty strongly Republican school, I think I was more likely to listen to Lynn then Dick.
The next year George W. Bush came (told you it’s a very Republican school). My favorite part of that speech was his references to our favorites spots in town (Chimes, Louie’s, Tiger Stadium).
My brother (LSU ‘01) had George Bush, Sr. The best of the bunch, in my opinion. Of course, he had the benefit of not being in or seeking office at the time.
posted by Lindsey on 5-16-2008 at 9:43 am
Class Day 2003-Princeton, Jerry Seinfeld. He basically did his stand up act, but my favorite line was something like, “What the hell am I doing here?”
posted by Brent on 5-16-2008 at 9:44 am
We had Steven Spielberg give our commencement, along with Harry Blackstone (I think that’s the right name), a magician. Nice duo, no? This was at USC, btw.
posted by Mike on 5-16-2008 at 10:04 am
At our journalism school graduation, we had White House correspondent Sarah McClenden speak and it was during the 1992 Presidential campaign.
She went off on a long rambling rant about what a major horn dog the presumptive nominee Bill Clinton was, even alleging that he had women trucked in from Arkansas prisons to have sex with him in the Governor’s mansion.
The crowd nearly booed her off the stage, but she turned out to be right about the horn dog part.
The next day, the main university graduation at Richard Bloch of H&R Block. The speech was as boring as a tax form.
posted by renton on 5-16-2008 at 10:20 am
It seems with me that my class always just barely misses having a really awesome famous speaker. I went to, as you say, an “elite boarding school” (incidentally, to Choate’s rival school) and though our speaker, a businesswoman who happened to be the mother of one of my classmates,* was good, the next class’ speaker was King Abdullah II of Jordan. At my graduation from Wellesley College two weeks from now, I can look forward to hearing Cathie Black, president of Hearst magazines, speak. Last year they had Madeleine Albright, and if Hillary Clinton doesn’t make it to the white house there’s a pretty decent chance she’ll be the speaker in a year or two.
But I have to say, I would almost prefer the not-so-famous speakers. There’s just as good a chance that they’ll deliver an interesting and engaging speech, security won’t be an issue, and the ceremony will be less about the speaker and more about the graduates. But still, it would have been neat to hear King Abdullah speak.
*In high school, the people in charge of finding a speaker had tried really hard to get one of the Presidents Bush to come as our commencement speaker — our class president was a Bush cousin — and it had taken so long for a response to arrive that my class ended up a) not having any chance to make suggestions, and b) scrambling at the last minute to find someone available. So there’s another reason why seeking out the famous might not be worth it.
posted by Maggie on 5-16-2008 at 10:32 am
I don’t remember who my graduation speaker was, and it was only six months ago.
On a similar note, that student who complained because Mr. Rogers’ speech ruined “the greatest day of her life”? Grow up. If I had to give advice to graduating students, it would be that you shouldn’t ever expect anything – not graduation, not your wedding, not even the birth of your first child – to be the greatest/happiest/what-have-you day of your life. The reasons are twofold: One, there’s really no way to know which was the greatest until your life is actually over. Two, if you decide that a specific moment is the greatest day of your life, that means it’s all downhill from there. And if that moment comes early, well, sucks to be you, then, doesn’t it? Besides, what if something goes wrong? Who says we’re even entitled to a greatest moment in the first place?
I know this sounds depressing, but it’s actually all pretty liberating. If you live your life as though the best is yet to come, there’s always some great unknown moment to look forward to. It’s the reason I’m throwing a “Joanna’s Not Dead” party on the anniversary of my surgery: I’m not going to rely on external circumstances to make my high points.
posted by Joanna on 5-16-2008 at 11:09 am
A previous ex of mine graduated from University of Cincinnati and his speaker was Ben Stein. I don’t recall what he said, but I do remember that he was wearing those brownish sneakers he always wore on his show.
posted by Summer on 5-16-2008 at 11:21 am
I went to a small business school and we had David Brandon, Chairman and CEO of Domino’s, as our speaker. Although I don’t recall much about the actual speech other than a few tidbits and the free pizza coupons, I do remember enjoying it while it lasted.
posted by Brian on 5-16-2008 at 11:33 am
When I graduated from XU (go Muskies!), Neil Armstrong accepted an honorary diploma. But did he speak? No. We instead got a corporate CEO muckity-muck who prattled on and on about “success!!” The entire time I just wanted the man who has been on the freaking moon to give a little something…anything…but alas it was not meant to be.
posted by Jess on 5-16-2008 at 11:36 am
So I graduated from Temple U and I know a number of readers are from Temple so not to depress you if you suffer the same fate… our Commencement Speaker was Bill Cosby, and he was a disappointment! he spent 5 minutes (to the second almost) and made blunt, to the point of being rude, comments and ran off stage, we thought it was a joke, but he seriously left. Seems he had another commencement speech to give in Maryland. We got Gyped :-/
posted by Bilal on 5-16-2008 at 12:03 pm
I went to a quasi-prestigious public high school in New York and our commencement speaker was Kofi Annan. Very exciting, but the class 2 years after us had CONAN O’BRIEN and I cursed my classmates in charge of the whole thing for not thinking like those 2 years younger than us.
posted by Mighty on 5-16-2008 at 12:04 pm
Hey,
Very very good. I posted it on my blog in Brazil. The French Fries Blog
Congrats!
Bernard
posted by Bernard Holcman on 5-16-2008 at 12:44 pm
I graduated from Delaware last year, so naturally they have someone famous this year.
My graduation speaker was the CEO I think of BusinessWeek. His son was graduating. He talked about globalization, technology, etc etc, but one memorable line became the quote/Facebook group for the graduating class. I can’t remember the exact quote (or find it) but it was something along the lines of “Ride the tiger into the real world.”
Yes. Ride the tiger.
posted by Kate on 5-16-2008 at 12:45 pm
Marcel Marceau was my commencement speaker.
posted by Scot on 5-16-2008 at 1:03 pm
Scot for the win.
posted by Joanna on 5-16-2008 at 1:07 pm
William & Mary-class of ‘03, Jon Stewart (W&M alum) gave the best commencement speech ever! Hilarious and thoughtful.
posted by jay on 5-16-2008 at 1:19 pm
Duke ‘99 — We were subjected to Cokie Roberts. Her opening comments — something to the effect of “it’s great to look across this football field and finally see a group of winners” — did little to win her favor among the football players sitting to my right.
posted by erin on 5-16-2008 at 1:37 pm
I graduated from Indiana University in 2000 and John “Cougar” Mellencamp gave the commencement speech. It was blazing hot so he took off his black robe after 10 minutes and lounged back in chair trying to get comfortable. It was total rock n roll high school and his message was basically “screw the man and his expectations…do what you want.”
posted by amy on 5-16-2008 at 2:10 pm
i went to a little known private liberal arts college and graduated in ‘04. our commencement speaker was head pastor of first ame church in los angele. i was actually excited to hear what he had to say.. until he started preaching and launched into a fairly obscure sermon for at least 30 minutes. the school has no religious affiliation at all.
to add extra pain and pretense to our ceremony, they also presented 3-4 honorary degrees and allowed each of those people to give a 10-15 minute speech. seriously, they spent less time having 300 people walk the stage than giving out those honorary degrees and having the commencement speech.
everyone was sunburned.
posted by tami on 5-16-2008 at 2:11 pm
My commmencement speaker at University of Maryland was some guy from United Way. I think. I didn’t really listen. He was boring.
There’s a bit of a stink at my alma mater now because Cal Ripkin is from the area but he’s speaking at Delaware. But, they got Carl Bernstein at MD (who is an alum), so I don’t really know what they’re so upset about. I’d rather hear what Bernstein has to say.
posted by Heather on 5-16-2008 at 2:20 pm
Tim Russert spoke at my graduation in 2004 (Fordham University). He had just finished his book about his father, and shared a few stories about his relationships. I can’t remember passages, but I remember the overall tone. He was inspiring and nostalgic. I know several parents immediately went out and purchased the book.
posted by Monica on 5-16-2008 at 2:21 pm
I just went to a friend’s graduation last week. The speaker was absolutely horrible, he didn’t give a single inspiring word, and all he did was plug his book. After the graduation, I went back to work and railed against the guy to my boss. An hour later, the CEO of the company I work at was giving an investor a tour and was introducing him to everybody. Turns out the guy is a one of the bigger investors in my work and consequently pays part of my pay check. Oh well.
posted by Robert B on 5-16-2008 at 3:05 pm
Chuck Schumer, senator of NY, spoke at my commencement. Unfortunately, it ended up being a speech about the things he intended to do politically. No advice or encouragement for the graduates; it was all about him.
posted by Matt on 5-16-2008 at 3:27 pm
my favorite commencement address was from David Foster Wallace at Kenyon University in 2005.
there’s a transcript online if you search for it.
fantastically inspiring.
posted by adeline on 5-16-2008 at 4:05 pm
My commencement speaker for RPI in ‘99 was Bill Nye. I don’t remember too much of his speech, but I remember it being very funny and enjoyable. I also remember him saying “Now, when someone asks me a question, I can say ‘Trust me, I’m a doctor’” in reference to his new honorary doctorate.
The other thing that made Bill Nye such a cool speaker was he asked to shake every graduates hand (and the class size was over 2000 people)! What a cool guy!
posted by Genevieve on 5-16-2008 at 5:07 pm
Fred Rogers was the commencement speaker at my college graduation, as well (Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, 1998).
His address came just a couple of weeks after a student had opened fire at the eighth grade dance and killed a teacher and wounded several students.
Edinboro is a small town (the student body of the university triples the population during the school year), and the community was really reeling from the incident.
Mr. Rogers spoke of how we always want it to be a “beautiful day in the neighborhood”, but sometimes, things happen that aren’t so beautiful. Those are the times, he said, when it is most important to draw on one another for strength and support. He then went on to impart some more traditional yet genuinely heartfelt words of wisdom for the graduates.
Personally, I found his speech both comforting and uplifting… and I was inwardly very amused and delighted to find that he spoke in real life just like he did on his tv show. (:
posted by Mel on 5-16-2008 at 5:17 pm
My commencement speaker was someone really boring–an ambassador to somewhere? My sister had Dave Anderson (Dave of Famous Dave’s). He was kind of annoying.
I’d think that having Jerry Springer would be really interesting, given what I know about him after listening to the 4/11 episode of This American Life that discusses Springer’s political career.
posted by Julia on 5-16-2008 at 5:26 pm
My university’s commencement speaker, for some odd reason, was a psychiatrist, who spent an inordinately (and frighteningly) long time discussing Charles Manson.
posted by Bridget on 5-16-2008 at 6:35 pm
My graduation speaker was Erskine Bowles. His advice? “Never over promise.” Basically, you keep everyone’s expectations low via “under promising” and then shock them with your awesomeness – if you plan to be done with a project on Wednesday, say it will be done on Friday. If you think you can land 5 clients today, say you will land 3. It hasn’t failed me yet.
posted by Autumn on 5-16-2008 at 6:36 pm
Steve Jobs sucked. I saw him speak as my brother was graduating at the time. It was the most uninspiring, boring thing that I’ve ever heard spoken on Stanford’s campus. He practically didn’t even have a speech. It seemed as if he was reading random passages from Bartlett’s Quotations or something. I, on the other hand, had Dana Gioia for my graduation, and he was spectacular. He talked about the revival of the arts that our country DEEPLY needs. See, he had this thing called a “message” that Steve was definately lacking….
posted by Ryan on 5-16-2008 at 7:23 pm
I would just like to add my commencement speaker, the indefatigable Greg Mortenson, author of “Three Cups of Tea.” Who spoke just last Sunday at Lewis and Clark College (don’t worry no one else has heard of it either, only only noted almuna is infamous for a certain blue dress). Mortenson’s speech humbly reminded me how valuable a degree is, a matter easily forgotten.
posted by Lisa Kay on 5-16-2008 at 7:49 pm
My speaker was the head counsel of a third-rate state university system (as in third-rate among state university systems in my state). Don’t remember a word she said. Granted, this was just the departmental graduation, not the entire university’s.
Went to a friend’s graduation today. The speaker was the editor of the Houston Chronicle who is from NJ. He was great in that he was very colloquial and sounded like a stereotypical ball-busting newspaper chief from the Northeast like on TV. “Listen here, Murray, I need that story by tomorrow’s deadline or else!”
posted by L on 5-16-2008 at 10:51 pm
UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan was supposed to be the Duke Class of 2003 commencement speaker (1 year before the aforementioned Harvard ceremony). However, he got strep throat and had to cancel. President Keohane read excerpts from his speech. I dozed off the rest of the ceremony. I think I win for crappiest commencement speaker experience.
posted by Greta on 5-17-2008 at 1:04 am
Unfortunately, I don’t look too fondly upon my commencement. The Class of 2003 Duke speaker was to be UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, but he got sick and had to cancel. Our president read excerpts of what he would have said. I ended up dozing off the rest of the ceremony. It seemed a fitting end to my time there.
posted by Greta on 5-17-2008 at 1:16 am
I graduated today and my speaker was some random congresswoman. I have no idea what she said…. however, my graduation was extremely special because my dad handed me my diploma and received an honorary doctorate degree. I cried a lot. It was a very exciting graduation.
posted by Lauren on 5-18-2008 at 2:49 am
Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips gave his his high school’s commencement speech via video, and it’s definitely worth a watch…. part one below, part two in the youtube sidebar
youtube.com/watch?v=4SzWtkMVBRI
posted by Kevo on 5-18-2008 at 1:56 pm
I went to a college smack dab on the Pacific Ocean in San Diego. When I graduated, we were slated to have Senator Gary Hart as our commencement speaker. Shortly before the ceremonies, he was implicated in the famous “Monkey Business” sex scandal that ended his run for the White House, and our chance to hear someone interesting. At the last minute a VERY dull trustee filled in.
posted by Brad on 5-18-2008 at 3:21 pm
I graduated from a small school in 1995. We had Ben & Jerry of the ice cream. They were awesome (although I don’t recall any specifics) and they brought peace pops (ice cream bars) for all. The following year they had Kermit the Frog, so I was really glad I graduated when I did.
posted by Emma on 5-18-2008 at 10:08 pm
We were stuck with Ronald Reagan’s Peace Corps rep. We were mostly astonished that the Peace Corps was still in existence during the Reagan admin. She was relentlessly chirpy and we did what college grads do best, mocking her under our collective breath.
My husband’s class got some dude talking about the students and all their ancestors on a plane–them at the back and the grads at the front. After 22 years we’re still not clear on the point.
posted by Berry 85/86 on 5-19-2008 at 9:29 am
My ‘01 college grad speaker was Bill O’Reilly! I couldn’t have cared less who he was back then and I can’t remember a single thing he said. I’m happy for that fact now.
posted by RBug on 5-19-2008 at 2:12 pm
Fix the link to the haunted sports.
posted by DM on 5-22-2008 at 11:38 am
I attended my brother-in-law’s graduation this year from the California Maritime Academy in Vallejo, CA. The speaker was Roy E Disney (nephew of Walt Disney. He was a fantastic and dynamic speaker. Very down to earth and honest.
posted by Bk on 5-22-2008 at 12:42 pm
BARACK OBAMA AT WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY, CT!!!!!
posted by TA on 5-22-2008 at 3:57 pm
Bill Watterson (creator: Calvin & Hobbes)
gave a great commencement speech.
Kenyon College, Gambier Ohio, to the 1990 graduating class.
home3.inet.tele.dk/stadil/spe_kc.htm
SOME THOUGHTS ON THE REAL WORLD BY ONE WHO GLIMPSED IT AND FLED
posted by Abhishek on 5-24-2008 at 10:15 pm
Henry Kissinger spoke our commencement (Claremont McKenna 1995). As each senior was called to the stage, their thesis topic was read aloud. I clearly remember Mr. Kissinger making eye contact with every student and reading their thesis summary from the program as they walked by. It was very flattering.
posted by steve on 5-25-2008 at 10:00 pm
barack obama at northwestern university, 2006!!! hands down most amazing and riveting commencement speaker ever. that speech alone convinced me to vote for him this year.
posted by amanda on 5-28-2008 at 11:50 pm
Bono at the University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2003
Was quite a scandalous choice. All the parents and trustees were worried, especially when he started with “My name is Bono and I am a rock star,” but he turned out to be a huge hit. The parents loved him. He talked a bit much about Africa, but his message was a good one “That’s what this degree of yours is, a blunt instrument. So go forth and build something with it… this is the time for bold measures.”
You can find the transcript at the UPenn website.
posted by et on 5-30-2008 at 2:12 pm
“What’s with the WVU student being disappointed with Fred Rogers? His message was essentially that success comes as the result of hard work. How is that message either shocking or disappointing?”
That person was probably a liberal who was disappointed that they actually had to work for something instead of the government giving it to them. You know, how dare someone have to earn something.
posted by Lisa on 5-30-2008 at 5:04 pm
Fred Rogers game the commencement speech for my sister’s graduation at IUP in 1992. He opened with “It sure is a beautiful day in THIS neighborhood!” – Which was followed by about 5 minutes of standing ovation. Then the speech began. Epic.
posted by Tony on 7-28-2008 at 12:03 pm
When I finished graduate school at Boston University in 1989, our commencement exercises featured not one, but two, sitting presidents: George Bush I and French President Francois Mitterand.
I have no idea what either one said. We all had to be there about two hours early, sitting in our seats after going through security. Eventually, we watched as two very large military-type helicopters circled and landed somewhere outside the stadium. Then we waited awhile longer until they made it into the stadium. Then, and only then, could the long, boring commencement exercises start. It was a very warm, sunny day, and we were all cooked by the time it was done. The day was memorable only because of how miserable it was.
posted by Robert on 7-28-2008 at 6:22 pm
I went to a small, Catholic liberal arts college in Indiana and our speaker was from the school board of trustees or something like that – no meaning whatsoever to anyone in my class. No doubt I remembered as much of the words of wisdom the next day as I do now: nothing. And just to show you what a good impression our speaker made, I can’t even recall if it was a man or a woman.
Why couldn’t we have gotten – oh, say – Fr. Ted Hesburgh, formerly the head of the University of Notre Dame? Heck, having Kermit would have been cool!
posted by Sharon on 7-28-2008 at 9:51 pm
I did not graduate from college….but I was a fireman. The graduation speaker was a deputy commissioner in the fire department; not very interesting on its face — but it was one of the best speaches I have ever heard — his grandfather had been a fireman in this department, and he was so thrilled to be able to give the speach (he was a last minute replacement) that he almost started crying!! He spoke for just the right amount of time….about 20 minutes, and praised the work, the people, and reminded us of the importance of the work, that it mights seem like great fun, but that we should never forget that we were doing something that very few people can do, but many wish they could, and that what we do helps people in a way they never can for themselves; in their most desperate hour of need….I left that day, and almost cried when I saw a fire truck on its way to a job.
posted by w. on 7-29-2008 at 8:38 pm
Stephen Colbert spoke at Princeton’s Class Day 2008. The speech was done very smoothly in Colbert’s mock-conservative fashion. His message was that we should avoid changing the world, that his generation had worked hard at making it the way it is and they don’t want it fooled around with. Of course, the underlying message was that his generation had messed up a lot of things and that we ought to change the world, but his sarcastic method of delivery was very clever. I will remember it for the rest of my life.
posted by P08 on 7-30-2008 at 1:22 pm
Actually, Jon Stewart gave the commencement speech at William & Mary in 2004 …
And I graduated from W&M in 2006, with Archbishop Desmond Tutu as our commencement speaker.
posted by ASM on 8-14-2008 at 12:03 pm
Bono spoke at Harvard in 2001. But he did not sing.
posted by DC on 1-11-2009 at 12:11 am
I don’t think my class (Wheaton College 2008 – the original one in MA, not the religious one in IL) even considered a commencement speaker. One of the recipients of an honorary degree, who happened to be an alum, spoke and I honestly didn’t realize that is who our big COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER was until the ceremony ended and no one else (except the President – who spent the entire time talking about himself) spoke. What a disappointment (in both of them). I didn’t get anything out of her speech. I *think* she spoke on her own pursuits in life but I can’t be sure.
I wish they had at least considered asking the student body for suggestions on a speaker. My class leaders were inept and apparently only capable of harassing the student body for annual fund donations (literally tracking you down on campus and knocking on your door to ask why you had not donated yet).
posted by Bri on 5-13-2009 at 11:11 am
When I graduated with my M.S. from Colorado State in 1997, our university president wanted to have an all-university graduation in the football stadium, the only venue in town big enough to hold all the graduates and family & friends. Columnist Ellen Goodman was paid a fee to speak. Most of the graduates had no idea who she was, because they didn’t read newspapers except for the campus “rag”. She gave a good speech, but only about a third of the graduates came, so the football stadium was way too big. We were all baking in our black robes in the beating sun, and all we wanted was to get out of there.
The next year the president bowed to the storm of criticism he had received, and we went back to having several graduations, by college, indoors at whatever university ballroom, gym, or arena can hold the crowd. Each college now has to find its own speaker. Most are recruited by a harried professor on that college’s graduation committee, who has neither time nor resources to poll the students re whom they’d like.
posted by Lee on 5-29-2009 at 6:03 pm