sample speech for college graduation

16 Best Graduation Speeches That Leave a Lasting Impression

By Kristi Kellogg and Noor Brara

Some of the most impactful and inspiring sentiments are shared during graduation speeches delivered by the leaders we look up to. Graduation speeches from celebrities , entrepreneurs, authors and other influential thinkers are motivational, inspiring, thought-provoking and just might make you reach for the nearest tissue. After four years of hard work, stress, and exhausting self-discovery, lucky graduates are privy to a life-changing speech to top it all off.

Here, we rounded up up 16 of the best graduation speeches of all time, including words of wisdom from Natalie Portman, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and more.

1. Steve Jobs: Stanford, 2005

"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. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

2. Michelle Obama: Tuskegee University, 2015

"I've found that this journey has been incredibly freeing. Because no matter what happened, I had the piece of mind knowing that all of the chatter, the name-calling, the doubting...all of it was just noise. It did not define me, it didn't change who I was, and most importantly, it couldn't hold me back."

3. Natalie Portman: Harvard, 2015

"I just directed my first film. I was completely unprepared, but my own ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director's chair. Once there, I had to figure it all out, and my belief that I could handle these things, contrary to all evidence of my ability to do so was half the battle. The other half was very hard work. The experience was the deepest and most meaningful one of my career."

4. Amy Poehler: Harvard University, 2011

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"What I have discovered is this: You can't do it alone … Listen. Say 'yes.' Live in the moment. Make sure you play with people who have your back. Make big choices early and often."

5. Meryl Streep: Barnard College, 2010

"This is your time and it feels normal to you but really there is no normal. There's only change, and resistance to it and then more change."

6. David Foster Wallace: Kenyon College, 2005

"Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about quote the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master."

7. Barack Obama: Howard University, 2016

"You have to go through life with more than just passion for change; you need a strategy. I’ll repeat that. I want you to have passion, but you have to have a strategy. Not just awareness, but action. Not just hashtags, but votes."

8. Kerry Washington: George Washington University, 2013

"You and you alone are the only person who can live the life that can write the story that you were meant to tell."

9. Conan O'Brien: Dartmouth College, 2011

"There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized. Today I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality … Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen."

10. J.K. Rowling: Harvard, 2008

"I stopped pretending to be anything than what I was. My greatest fear had been realized. I had an old typewriter and a big idea. Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

11. Oprah Winfrey: Harvard University, 2013

"Learn from every mistake because every experience, encounter, and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and force you into being more who you are. And then figure out what is the next right move. And the key to life is to develop an internal moral, emotional G.P.S. that can tell you which way to go."

12. Joss Whedon: Wesleyan University, 2013

"You have, which is a rare thing, that ability and the responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself, to at least give it the floor, because it is the key—not only to consciousness–but to real growth. To accept duality is to earn identity. And identity is something that you are constantly earning. It is not just who you are. It is a process that you must be active in. It's not just parroting your parents or the thoughts of your learned teachers. It is now more than ever about understanding yourself so you can become yourself."

13. George Saunders: Syracuse University, 2013

"Do all the other things, the ambitious things … Travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop)—but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness."

14. Nora Ephron: Wellesley College, 1996

"Be the heroine of your life, not the victim."

15. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Wellesley College, 2015

"As you graduate, as you deal with your excitement and your doubts today, I urge you to try and create the world you want to live in. Minister to the world in a way that can change it. Minister radically in a real, active, practical, get your hands dirty way."

16. Admiral William H. McRaven: University of Texas at Austin, 2014

"If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right."

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How to Write and Deliver a Memorable Graduation Speech: Tips, Examples, and Techniques

• The Speaker Lab
• March 7, 2024

Table of Contents

The goal of any graduation speech is to find words that capture the essence of years spent learning and growing. Today, we’ll guide you through that process and help you craft a memorable graduation speech . You’ll learn to weave gratitude with shared experiences, and balance humor with wisdom. We’ll even help you find quotes that strike a chord and deliver them in a way that resonates.

But that’s not all! Dive into proven strategies for public speaking, managing stage fright, and drawing inspiration from iconic commencement speeches. Discover how personal growth stories add depth to your message and explore themes that leave a lasting impact on your peers as they step forward into new beginnings.

Crafting Your Graduation Speech: A Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to marking the end of your high school or university journey, a graduation speech can capture the essence of this pivotal moment. But how do you start such an important address?

Opening with Impact

The first words of your graduation speech are crucial. They set the stage for what’s to come and grab your audience’s attention. Think about starting strong by sharing a personal anecdote that ties into the broader experience of your class or drawing from Steve Jobs’ Stanford University commencement speech , where he began with, “Today I want to tell you three stories from my life.” This technique instantly piques interest because it promises narratives that have shaped who you are.

An impactful opening also acknowledges shared experiences. Perhaps you could reflect on how moments in classrooms turned strangers into lifelong friends. Or for university commencements, consider touching upon those late-night study sessions that tested perseverance but ultimately led to academic achievements worth celebrating today.

Building the Body of Your Graduation Speech

In crafting the body content, intertwine lessons learned throughout high school years or during university courses with aspirations for what lies ahead. For instance, share how overcoming obstacles like balancing extracurricular activities and academics taught valuable time management skills.

To add depth, incorporate quotes from luminaries like Oprah Winfrey or draw parallels between classroom learnings and real-world applications. Dive deeper by discussing milestones achieved together as a graduating class and recognizing the hard work everyone put in to make it to this monumental occasion.

Concluding with Inspiration

Your conclusion should leave fellow graduates feeling inspired while helping them celebrate high school memories one last time—or honor those unforgettable college years if addressing higher education grads.

Closing remarks could include heartfelt gratitude towards teachers’ support and parental guidance. You might even crack a joke or two. It’s these personalized touches paired with universal truths that resonate most deeply as students step forward into new chapters post-graduation.

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Delivery Techniques for Confident Speaking

Standing in front of a crowd can turn even the most composed student into a bundle of nerves. But fear not, with some smart strategies, you’ll be able to channel your inner orator and deliver your graduation speech with confidence.

Practicing Your Graduation Speech

Becoming familiar with every word of your speech is key. Rehearse it out loud until the words feel like second nature. This practice does more than just help you remember what comes next; it lets you find the natural rhythm and pace of your delivery. Consider recording yourself to catch any quirks or stumbling blocks—you might be surprised at how much this helps refine your presentation.

A trick often overlooked is practicing in different environments. If possible, stand on the actual stage where you will deliver your commencement address. Familiarity breeds comfort, making that once daunting podium seem like an old friend when graduation day arrives.

Overcoming Nervousness and Stage Fright

Nervousness is normal but doesn’t let it dictate your performance. Before stepping up to speak, take deep breaths to steady yourself—a calm body encourages a calm mind. An effective method for easing anxiety is visualization. Imagine delivering each line perfectly and receiving an enthusiastic response from listeners—envisioning success can make it so.

Maintaining Eye Contact

The power of eye contact cannot be overstated. It connects speaker and listener on a personal level that amplifies engagement significantly. Scan across different sections of the audience periodically without lingering too long on any one individual.

Incorporate these techniques diligently when preparing for the big day. In doing so, they become part of muscle memory and help build confidence. With confidence and plenty of practice on your side, your graduation speech is sure to conclude to applause leaving you to celebrate yet another milestone achieved.

Analyzing Renowned Graduation Speeches for Inspiration

When crafting a commencement speech, it’s often helpful to look at the giants whose words have echoed through auditoriums and across campuses. Steve Jobs’ Stanford University Commencement Speech is a classic example of weaving life lessons into an address that connects deeply with graduates. Similarly, Oprah Winfrey’s Harvard University Commencement Address showed how stumbling blocks can become stepping stones if we learn from them.

Steve Jobs’ Storytelling Mastery

Jobs had a knack for turning personal anecdotes into universal truths. In his Stanford address, he shared three stories from his own life without sounding self-indulgent. These stories worked because each one carried a broader message relevant to every graduate: finding what you love, dealing with loss, and facing death head-on. Jobs famously urged students to “stay hungry, stay foolish,” encouraging them not just to pursue success but remain curious about life despite challenges. This advice is especially poignant for today’s graduating class.

Like Jobs, you too can craft narratives around moments that speak volumes about perseverance and passion.

Oprah’s Unflinching Honesty

Much like her television persona suggests, Oprah did not shy away from discussing her setbacks in front of Harvard’s graduating class. Instead, she confidently laid bare the challenges faced by anyone who dares greatly because failure is part of achieving greatness. As she reminded students, “It doesn’t matter how far you might rise… At some point you are bound to stumble.”

In doing so she forged an instant connection with listeners grappling with their fears about what the future holds post-graduation. It was a powerful reminder that even icons like Oprah are not immune to trials but emerge stronger through them.

The power behind these speeches lies not just in their content but also in their delivery. These speakers mastered the art of speaking confidently before crowds, maintaining eye contact, and conveying authenticity—techniques any speaker should aspire to replicate on graduation day.

Themes and Messages That Resonate with Graduates

Facing a sea of caps and gowns, the right words can turn a graduation ceremony from mundane to memorable. When crafting your commencement speech, focusing on themes like overcoming obstacles and perseverance connects deeply with graduates who have hurdled high school or college challenges.

Overcoming Obstacles

Talking about stumbling blocks is not just relatable; it’s inspirational. Think Steve Jobs at Stanford University or Oprah Winfrey at Harvard—both shared personal tales of setbacks turned into comebacks. Beyond simply telling their stories, they showed how those hurdles were stepping stones to success.

Weave your narrative around the potholes you’ve navigated during your high school years. This doesn’t mean airing every bit of dirty laundry, just highlighting that one significant moment where everything seemed against you yet failed to defeat you.

The Power of Perseverance

Perseverance is more than sticking to something—it’s pushing forward when every fiber wants to quit. It resonates because everyone, including your fellow graduates, has felt that urge to give up but chose to persevere instead.

Incorporate this theme by using vivid examples that mirror collective experiences—the all-nighters before exams or balancing sports stars ambitions with academics—to illustrate perseverance isn’t just an idea but lived reality for many students.

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Life Lessons Shared During Graduation Speeches

In addition to sharing content that fellow graduates will find relatable and inspirational, you should also consider sharing life lessons with your audience. Whether young or old, everyone has a unique perspective on life and sharing your wisdom can steer graduates toward a fulfilling path.

The Power of Kindness

Making a positive impact doesn’t require grand gestures; sometimes it’s found in small acts of kindness or an innovative idea that simplifies lives. This message sticks because everyone wants their work to mean something—to know they’ve left footprints on society’s vast canvas.

True Grit and Tenacity

Embracing failure and resilience is another powerful theme echoed by commencement speakers across podiums. Let’s face it; not all endeavors lead straight to success. But as Oprah Winfrey once said during her Harvard University commencement address, “It doesn’t matter how far you might rise… At some point, you are bound to stumble.” Her words remind us: How we pick ourselves up matters more than how we fall.

Making a Positive Impact

A graduating class stands poised on tomorrow’s threshold ready to mold history—and speeches should fuel this transformative fire within them. Memorable graduation speeches show individuals that ovation-worthy achievements are possible if you believe your actions count.

As you prepare your graduation speech, consider including one of these life lessons or one of your own. Don’t be afraid to share your hard-won insights to your fellow graduates—you just might inspire them to make history.

Celebrating Achievements and Acknowledging Contributions

Graduation is not just a ceremony. It’s a tribute to the academic achievements and extracurricular activities that have shaped students into who they are. The acknowledgment of teacher support and parental guidance also plays a pivotal role in these speeches, as they’re the scaffolding upon which student successes are built.

Academic Achievements, Extracurricular Activities

Acknowledging academic prowess goes beyond GPA scores or honor societies; it’s about highlighting unique intellectual journeys. Similarly, shining a light on extracurricular triumphs—be it sports stars setting records or artists winning competitions—adds depth to your speech. Remembering these moments isn’t merely recounting victories but celebrating the relentless spirit of your fellow graduates.

Diving deeper into personal anecdotes helps you connect with peers by reminding them of their growth through challenges faced together—from late-night study sessions to championship games. It’s these stories that make graduation memories stick with classmates long after commencement ends.

Teacher Support, Parental Guidance

The unsung heroes behind every graduate deserve their moment in your address too. Teachers’ dedication can turn classrooms into launch pads for dreams, while parents’ unwavering belief often fuels aspirations during tumultuous times like the pandemic.

In weaving tales of mentorship from teachers or wisdom imparted by parents, you remind everyone that success is rarely a solo act—it’s supported by many hands and hearts along the way. Celebrate this collective effort because each person has contributed uniquely to shaping graduating classes across America, including yours.

Common Issues in Writing and Delivering Graduation Speeches

Staring at a blank page as the clock ticks down to graduation day can rattle even the most seasoned speech writers. Overcoming writer’s block is about finding your message stick—the core idea that you want to leave with your peers. Remember, this isn’t just any talk; it’s one that marks a significant transition for both you and your audience.

Overcoming Writer’s Block

Finding yourself stumped on how to write a speech ? Don’t sweat it. Start by jotting down memories from school years or powerful life lessons that resonate. Think of Steve Jobs’ Stanford University commencement speech where he shared personal stories, which became an inspirational backbone for many other speeches.

If inspiration doesn’t strike immediately, step away from the computer. Take a walk and reflect on high school experiences or browse through commencement speeches archives—like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s address at the University of Pennsylvania. They might spark ideas you hadn’t considered yet.

Navigating Technical Troubles

A great speech can stumble over technical hiccups. To avoid glitches, check all equipment beforehand—a simple but crucial task often overlooked due to nerves or excitement about graduating class celebrations.

Prior rehearsals will also let you handle these issues like a pro should they pop up during delivery. Make sure any videos or slides complement rather than overshadow what you’re saying. After all, graduates aren’t there for bells and whistles—they’re there for meaningful words.

Handling Stage Fright

Your knees may shake thinking delivering in front of proud parents and peers—it’s no small feat, after all. Before you step on stage, visual your success until it feels more real and attainable.

And don’t forget to watch your body language. During your speech, maintain eye contact—not stare-downs—to connect genuinely with fellow students. And if anxiety creeps up despite practice sessions? Take deep breaths to steady yourself and keep going. You’ve handled high school—you can handle this.

FAQs on Writing and Delivering a Graduation Speech

What do i say in my graduation speech.

Share heartfelt stories, acknowledge support from others, and inspire your classmates to chase their dreams boldly.

How do you write a 3 minute graduation speech?

Keep it tight: hit the high notes with gratitude, shared memories, a dash of humor, and wrap up with punchy inspiration.

How do I start a graduation speech?

Kick off with thanks. Give props to family and mentors. Set the stage for reflecting on past adventures together.

What is the most important message of a graduation speech?

The core should spark hope—urge peers to leap into tomorrow equipped with lessons learned during these formative years.

Master your moment with a graduation speech that turns heads and warms hearts. Remember the power of gratitude and connect with your audience through stories, those shared adventures that bind you to your classmates. Don’t be afraid to add a few jokes and quotes to your speech either, as well as personal growth stories to inspire.

When you hit the stage, stand tall, make eye contact, and speak from your heart—the podium’s yours. If butterflies invade, breathe deep and know everyone’s rooting for you. Writer’s block didn’t stop you and neither will this.

Your graduation speech is not just words—it’s a battle cry for your graduating class as you prepare to conquer what lies ahead!

• Last Updated: March 5, 2024

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Graduation Speech: Complete Guide & Inspiring Graduation Speech Examples

Ready to toss your caps in the air and bid farewell to the hallowed halls of academia? 

Not so fast…There’s one final thing left to learn about: graduation speeches!

Sure, they might seem like just another routine part of commencement, but graduation speeches are much more than just a formality. 

From tear-jerking tales to laugh-out-loud lessons, the best graduation speeches can be vehicles to share wisdom, life lessons, and unforgettable memories. 

Maybe you’re feeling uncertain about how to craft a graduation speech that people actually want to hear… Or wondering what can turn a good one into a great one…Or, simply looking for inspiration on memorable graduation speech examples. 

Read on to explore all of the above and more in this comprehensive guide on graduation speeches. 

• What is a graduation speech?
• What is the purpose of a graduation speech?

What makes a great graduation speech?

• Steps to Write a Student Graduation Speech [7 Steps]
• Inspiring Graduation Speech Examples [8 Examples]

What is a graduation speech? 

First things first: Let’s define what a graduation speech is exactly. 

A graduation speech is more than just a ceremonial tradition —it’s a speech that combines a heartfelt send-off, a final farewell, and a celebration of achievement all rolled into one.

These speeches are typically delivered by a selected speaker, such as a notable figure, a faculty member, or a student representative, at the commencement, or graduation ceremony.

But what exactly is the purpose behind these speeches, and why do we place such importance on them?

A graduation speech serves as a symbolic bridge between the academic journey and the adventures that lie ahead. It’s a chance for speakers to reflect on the accomplishments, challenges, and growth experienced by graduates throughout their academic careers. And most importantly, it’s an opportunity to share some wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement as graduates embark on their next chapter.

What is the purpose of a graduation speech? 

The purpose of a graduation speech varies depending on the context and the goals of the speaker. But generally, it serves several key purposes:

Let’s break it down:

• Celebrate: Graduation is a big deal, right? So, the speech is a way to celebrate all the hard work and sweat equity that graduates have contributed towards their student experience. And its graduation is a huge achievement worth celebrating!
• Inspire and Motivate: Many graduates feel nervous and apprehensive about what comes next after graduation. As happy as they may be to finally be graduating, many students feel a sense of confusion and discouragement about the future. Graduation speeches are meant to motivate and encourage the graduating class as they wrap up their student experience. It’s all about making them feel inspired as they look towards their future.
• Reflect: Remember all those fun times you had in school? Even the monotonous and routine hustle of being in school will become times you can look back on, joke about, and reminisce on for the rest of your life. Graduation speeches offer a chance to look back on the graduating class memories and once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Bringing Everyone Together: Graduation is a time for friends, family, and teachers to come together and cheer the graduating class on. The speech helps everyone feel connected and proud of what’s been achieved.
• Closure: Graduation speeches offer closure to the academic journey, providing a symbolic farewell and a sense of completion to graduates as they bid farewell to their alma mater. 
• Legacy: Graduation speeches leave a lasting legacy for graduates, offering timeless wisdom, inspiration, and guidance that they can carry with them as they embark on their future endeavors. They serve as a reminder of the values, lessons, and aspirations that define the graduate experience and shape the path forward.

Overall, the purpose of a graduation speech is to leave a lasting impact on the audience, imparting valuable insights, encouragement, and inspiration that resonate long after the ceremony has ended.

Great graduation speeches captivate audiences by weaving together universal themes, inspiring messages, and deep reflection to create a memorable and inspiring experience.

So what makes a graduation speech great ? While every speech is unique in itself, there are some common elements that all great speeches have.

Here are some key elements that contribute to a great graduation speech:

• Authenticity: A great graduation speech is authentic and genuine, reflecting the speaker’s personality, values, and experiences. 
• Personal Touch: Incorporating personal anecdotes, stories, and reflections adds depth and emotional resonance to a graduation speech. Sharing personal experiences allows the speaker to connect with the audience and make the speech more engaging.
• Inspiring Message: A great graduation speech delivers an inspiring and uplifting message that motivates graduates to embrace their potential, pursue their passions, and make a difference in the world. The message should be positive, empowering, and filled with hope for the future.
• Relevance: A great graduation speech is relevant to the occasion and the audience, addressing the unique challenges, triumphs, and experiences shared by graduates. It acknowledges the journey they’ve been on and offers guidance as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
• Clear Structure: A well-structured graduation speech flows smoothly from one point to the next, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• Engaging Delivery: A great graduation speech is delivered with passion, energy, and enthusiasm, capturing the attention and interest of the audience from start to finish. 
• Humor and Wit: Incorporating humor and wit into a graduation speech can lighten the mood, break the ice, and make the speech more enjoyable for the audience. Humorous anecdotes, clever wordplay, and well-timed jokes can add charm to the speech, making it more entertaining.
• Universal Themes: A great graduation speech explores universal truths that resonate with all graduates, regardless of their background or experiences. It touches on timeless values such as perseverance, resilience, gratitude, and the power of human connection, inspiring graduates to embrace these principles as they navigate life’s challenges.

By incorporating these elements into your own graduation speech, you can create memorable, inspiring, and impactful words that leave a lasting impression on everyone in attendance.

Steps to Write a Student Graduation Speech

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of writing a graduation speech? That’s normal! 

Even for famous and/or notable figures, writing a commencement or graduation speech can be a nerve-wracking experience.

And while writing a commencement speech may seem like a daunting task, breaking it down into basic steps can make the process more manageable and enjoyable.

Here’s a simple guide to help you craft a memorable and inspiring graduation speech:

Step 1: Understand Your Audience

Before you begin writing your speech, take some time to understand your audience. That is, the graduating class, faculty and staff, and family and friends of everyone involved in the ceremony. 

Consider the demographics of the graduates, their interests, experiences, and the significance of the occasion.

Tailoring your speech to resonate with the audience will make it more relatable and impactful.

Step 2: Choose a Theme or Message

Every great speech has a central theme or message that ties everything together. 

Think about what you want to convey to the graduates—whether it’s words of wisdom, encouragement, or reflections on their journey.

Choose a theme that resonates with the occasion and reflects your personal values and experiences.

Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas and Stories

Once you have a theme in mind, brainstorm ideas, stories, and anecdotes that support your message.

Reflect on your own experiences, lessons learned, and moments of inspiration that you can share with the graduates.

Consider incorporating personal stories, quotes, or examples that illustrate your points and make them more memorable.

Step 4: Create an Outline

Organize your ideas into a clear and coherent outline for your speech.

Start with an introduction that grabs the audience’s attention and introduces your theme. Then, outline the main points you want to cover in the body of the speech. Use supporting stories and examples to illustrate each point.

Finally, conclude your speech with powerful closing remarks that reinforces your message and leaves a lasting impression.

Step 5: Write the Speech

With your outline as a guide, start writing your speech , focusing on clarity, conciseness, and authenticity.

Write in a conversational tone, as if you’re speaking directly to the graduates, and use concise language.

Be sure to include transitions between sections to help the speech flow smoothly and keep the audience engaged.

Step 6: Edit and Revise

Once you’ve written a draft of your speech, take time to edit and revise it for clarity, coherence, and impact.

Cut out any unnecessary or repetitive information, and refine your language to make it more concise and compelling.

Pay attention to pacing, tone, and rhythm, and make sure your speech is well-balanced and engaging from start to finish.

Step 7: Practice, Practice, Practice

Finally, practice delivering your speech aloud multiple times to ensure smooth delivery and confident presentation.

Pay attention to your pacing, timing, hand gestures , and body language, and make adjustments as needed. 

Practicing your speech will help you feel more comfortable and confident on the day of the graduation ceremony.

Here are some tips to help you write a memorable speech:

• Share Your Journey: Reflect on your time in school, highlighting challenges you overcame, lessons you learned, and accomplishments you achieved.
• Inspire with Stories: Share inspiring anecdotes or life lessons that have shaped you and can resonate with your peers.
• Express Gratitude: Thank teachers, family, and friends for their support and guidance throughout your academic journey.
• Offer Encouragement: Provide motivation and encouragement to your fellow graduates as they embark on their future endeavors.

By following these basic steps and tips, you can write a graduation speech that is memorable and impactful, leaving a lasting impression on graduates and audience members for years to come.

8 Inspiring Graduation Speech Examples

If you’re looking to get inspired or need some examples to work from, check out some of the most memorable graduation speeches delivered by today’s notable figures. 

These speeches showcase how some of the world’s most influential people have delivered impactful messages of change, hard work, success, and life lessons to graduating classes throughout the years.

By incorporating personal stories, motivational quotes, and heartfelt advice, these examples showcase the profound impact a well-crafted speech can have on any audience.

While we’ve only featured eight graduation speech examples here, please note that there are countless other inspiring speeches that you can learn from throughout history. A quick online search will help guide you in the direction of more examples if you don’t find what you’re looking for in this list. 

#1 – Steve Jobs’ Stanford University Graduation Speech (2005)

Jobs’s speech is a classic for a reason. He challenged graduates to “stay hungry, stay foolish,” and to never lose sight of their dreams. 

#2 – Oprah Winfrey’s Harvard University Graduation Speech (2013)

Oprah Winfrey reflects on her own journey to success, emphasizing the importance of finding purpose, serving others, and remaining true to oneself in the face of adversity.

#3 –  Chadwick Boseman’s Howard University Graduation Speech (2018)

The late Chadwick Boseman, shortly before his passing, delivered an inspiring speech about the power of purpose and never giving up on your dreams.

#4 – J.K. Rowling’s Harvard University Graduation Speech (2008)

J.K. Rowling shares insights on the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination, empathy, and resilience in overcoming life’s challenges and achieving success.

#5 – Michelle Obama’s CCNY Graduation Speech (2016)

Michelle Obama reflects on the power of education and the importance of resilience, determination, and hope in overcoming obstacles and achieving one’s dreams.

#6 – David Foster Wallace’s Kenyon College Graduation Speech (2005)

David Foster Wallace’s speech, titled “This is Water,” is a profound meditation on mindfulness and empathy. Wallace delivers a thought-provoking speech about the value of mindfulness, empathy, and perspective in leading a meaningful and fulfilling life.

#7 – Satya Nadella’s University of Chicago Graduation Speech (2018)

The CEO of Microsoft spoke about the future of technology and the need for human-centered innovation. Nadella shares insights on the role of empathy, curiosity, and continuous learning in driving innovation and success in today’s rapidly changing world.

#8 – Ken Burns’ Stanford University Graduation Speech (2016)

The documentarian urged graduates to be curious, to challenge themselves, and to fight for what they believe in.

Learn From Graduation Speech Examples From Notable Figures

As we’ve seen from speeches like the ones listed above, throughout history, famous individuals have delivered impactful speeches that resonate with audiences and offer valuable lessons for graduates.

So how do these notable figures inspire through their speeches?

• Emphasizing Change: Notable figures often highlight the importance of embracing change and adapting to new beginnings in their speeches.
• Hard Work and Success: Through personal anecdotes, they stress the significance of hard work and determination in achieving success.
• Life Lessons: Graduation speeches by renowned figures are filled with insightful life lessons that guide and motivate graduates on their journey ahead.
• Words of Encouragement: Notable graduation speeches give encouragement, confidence, and hope to the audience as they move ahead.

Throughout this guide, we’ve explored how these speeches are more than just a routine part of commencement—they’re opportunities to share wisdom, life lessons, and unforgettable memories.

Whether you were feeling uncertain about crafting a speech that resonates or curious about the secrets behind turning a good speech into a great one, we’ve covered it all.

As you step onto the stage to deliver your graduation speech, remember the power you hold. Inspire, uplift, and connect us all! 

Here’s to making your mark and leaving a lasting impression as you embark on the next chapter of your journey!

Whether you’re giving a graduation speech or a TEDx talk, this free guide will help expand your reach.

Check out more great articles from the Thought-Leader Blog covering TEDx Talks, success mindsets, and everything else in between

How to Get a TED Talk

How to prepare a ted talk, how to market yourself effectively, how to become a keynote speaker, how to speak professionally.

Graduation Speech Examples

In this article, you will find examples of graduation speeches written by WriteSpeech.io that you can use to write your own speech.

Graduation marks a significant milestone in a person’s life, a moment of pride and celebration. It is an occasion that brings with it a mixture of excitement, nostalgia, and anticipation for the future.

To help you craft an unforgettable speech, here are five different examples of graduation speeches, written by writespeech.io . Each example is written for different academic environments and designed to meet varying needs in tone and length.

1. High School Graduation Speech Example

Length: Medium (around 4 minutes)

Tone: Neutral

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished guests, faculty members, parents, and fellow graduates of the class of [Graduation Year], it is an honor to stand before you today as we celebrate this significant milestone in our lives. As we reflect on our high school journey, we are filled with a mix of emotions - pride, nostalgia, excitement, and perhaps a hint of uncertainty about the future. The last four years have been a whirlwind of growth, learning, challenges, and triumphs. We have worked hard, overcome obstacles, and persevered to reach this momentous day. Today marks the end of one chapter and the beginning of another. As we prepare to embark on new adventures and pursue our dreams, let us remember the lessons we have learned inside and outside the classroom. The friendships we have forged, the teachers who have inspired us, and the experiences that have shaped us have all contributed to our personal and academic growth. As we look towards the future, let us carry with us the values of perseverance, resilience, and empathy that we have cultivated during our time here. Let us embrace change with open minds and open hearts, knowing that we have the skills and abilities to navigate the unknown with confidence and determination. Graduation is not just a ceremony; it is a symbol of our dedication, hard work, and commitment to our own success. It is a testament to the support of our families, friends, and educators who have helped us along the way. Let us express our gratitude to all those who have supported us on this journey, and let us strive to make them proud as we move forward into the next phase of our lives. Class of [Graduation Year], as we stand on the brink of a new beginning, let us embrace the challenges and opportunities ahead with courage and enthusiasm. Congratulations to each and every one of you on your graduation, and may your future be filled with success, fulfillment, and happiness. Thank you.

2. College Graduation Speech Example

Length: Medium (around 5 minutes)

Dear fellow graduates, faculty, family, and friends, As we stand here today in our regal caps and gowns, it is surreal to think that the time has come for us to embark on the next chapter of our lives. The year [Graduation Year] will forever be ingrained in our memories as the year we officially transition from students to graduates, ready to take on the world with vigor and determination. Throughout our time here, we have laughed together, studied together, and supported each other through both triumphs and challenges. The bonds we have formed and the memories we have created will stay with us forever, serving as a reminder of the incredible journey we have shared. Today is a celebration of the hard work, dedication, and perseverance that have brought us to this moment. Each of us has faced obstacles along the way, but we have proven time and time again that we are resilient, capable, and destined for greatness. As we look towards the future, let us remember the lessons we have learned, the friendships we have made, and the experiences that have shaped us into the individuals we are today. Let us carry the spirit of curiosity, passion, and innovation with us as we venture out into the world, ready to make our mark and leave a lasting impact. To our professors, mentors, and loved ones who have supported us along the way, we extend our deepest gratitude. Your guidance, wisdom, and unwavering belief in us have been the foundation upon which we have built our success. As we say goodbye to this chapter of our lives and embrace the endless possibilities that lie ahead, let us do so with hope, courage, and an unwavering belief in ourselves. Congratulations to the graduating class of [Graduation Year] - may your future be bright, your dreams be fulfilled, and your journey be filled with love and joy. Thank you.

3. College Graduation Speech Short Example

Length: Short (around 3 minutes)

Tone: Enthusiastic

Class of [Graduation Year], it is an honor to stand before you all today as we celebrate our graduation! We made it, we conquered every challenge, and we have emerged stronger and wiser. This is a momentous occasion that marks the culmination of years of hard work, dedication, and determination. As we reflect on our time here, we remember the late nights studying, the group projects that tested our patience, and the friendships that will last a lifetime. We have grown academically, emotionally, and socially, thanks to the experiences and opportunities that our university has provided us. Today, as we look towards the future, let us remember the lessons we have learned within these campus walls. Let us remember the value of resilience, the importance of perseverance, and the power of community. We have shown that we can overcome any obstacle that comes our way and that with determination and passion, anything is possible. Every one of us has the power to shape our destinies, to make a positive impact on the world, and to leave a mark that will last for generations to come. So, let us go forth from this moment with courage in our hearts, inspiration in our souls, and a commitment to making our dreams a reality. Class of [Graduation Year], the future is ours to seize! Let us embrace it with open arms, with hope in our hearts, and with a zest for life that knows no bounds. Congratulations to each one of you, and may our journey ahead be filled with success, happiness, and fulfillment. Thank you for the memories, the laughter, and the friendships. Go forth and conquer the world! Go forth and make a difference! Once again, congratulations, Class of [Graduation Year]! We did it!

4. University Graduation Speech Example

Length: Long (around 7 minutes)

Ladies and gentlemen, distinguished faculty members, beloved friends and family, and fellow graduates of the class of [Graduation Year], it is with immense joy and gratitude that I stand before you today to celebrate this momentous occasion. As we gather here, on the cusp of a new beginning, we are surrounded by an abundance of memories, both cherished and challenging, that have shaped our journey as university students. Looking back on our time here, I am overwhelmed by a sense of pride in every one of us. We have overcome countless obstacles, pushed ourselves beyond our limits, and emerged stronger, wiser, and more resilient than ever before. The late nights spent studying, the group projects that tested our patience, the moments of self-doubt and uncertainty – all of these experiences have contributed to shaping us into the individuals we are today. But beyond the academic achievements and accolades that we have earned, what truly sets us apart is the sense of community that we have fostered here. The friendships we have made, the bonds we have formed, and the support we have shown one another have created a network of love and camaraderie that will endure long after we leave these halls. As we stand on the threshold of the next chapter of our lives, let us take a moment to reflect on the lessons we have learned during our time here. We have learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. We have learned that success is not measured solely by grades or achievements, but by the impact we have on the world around us. We have learned the importance of empathy, kindness, and understanding – qualities that will serve us well as we navigate the complexities of the world beyond these walls. But perhaps the most important lesson we have learned is the power of believing in ourselves. Each of us has faced moments of doubt, of insecurity, of fear. And yet, through it all, we have remained steadfast in our belief that we are capable of achieving greatness. As we move forward into the unknown, let us carry this belief with us – let it be our guiding light, our North Star, guiding us through the darkest of times. And so, as we prepare to embark on this new adventure, I urge you all to embrace the future with open hearts and open minds. Let us be fearless in the pursuit of our dreams, bold in the face of adversity, and unwavering in our commitment to making the world a better place. To my fellow graduates, I offer my heartfelt congratulations. May your future be filled with joy, success, and fulfillment. And may the memories we have created here sustain us in the years to come. Thank you, class of [Graduation Year], for inspiring me, for challenging me, and for being a part of this incredible journey. Here's to us, to our accomplishments, and to the limitless possibilities that lie ahead. Congratulations, and may the future shine brightly upon us all.

5. Community College Graduation Speech Example

Dear fellow graduates, esteemed faculty members, friends, and family, As I stand before you today, filled with a mix of emotions — excitement, nostalgia, gratitude, and a hint of nervousness — I am reminded of the incredible journey we have all undertaken to reach this momentous occasion. The year 2024 will forever hold a special place in our hearts as the year we officially became graduates of this esteemed university. Looking back on our time here, we have experienced moments of triumph, moments of challenge, and moments of growth that have shaped us into the individuals we are today. We have pulled all-nighters studying for exams, collaborated on group projects, cheered on our sports teams, and formed friendships that will last a lifetime. Each class we attended, each professor we learned from, and each experience we encountered have played a vital role in preparing us for the next chapter of our lives. As we step out into the world beyond these university walls, we are armed with knowledge, skills, and a passion to make a difference. The world may seem daunting at times, but I am confident that every one of us has the potential to create a meaningful impact in our unique way. Whether we pursue further education, enter the workforce, start our own businesses, or embark on a different path altogether, let us remember the lessons we have learned here and carry the spirit of curiosity, perseverance, and resilience with us. I want to take a moment to express my deepest appreciation to our families, friends, and loved ones who have supported us throughout this journey. Their unwavering belief in our abilities, their patience during our moments of stress, and their endless encouragement have been the driving force behind our success. Let us take this opportunity to thank them for all that they have done for us and to celebrate this achievement together. As we look towards the future, let us maintain a sense of optimism and hope for what lies ahead. Let us embrace new opportunities with open hearts and open minds, knowing that we are well-equipped to face whatever challenges come our way. And most importantly, let us never forget the friendships we have forged, the memories we have created, and the lessons we have learned during our time here. Congratulations, Class of 2024! May your futures be bright, your dreams be bold, and your hearts be filled with joy as you embark on this new chapter in your lives. Thank you for being a part of my university journey, and may we all continue to inspire and uplift each other in the years to come. Here's to us, here's to our future, and here's to the endless possibilities that lie ahead. Go forth and conquer, my fellow graduates! Thank you.

As you step up to deliver your speech, remember that this is not just a celebration of academic achievements but also a pivotal life moment for every graduate present. Your words have the power to impact, encourage, and shape how your fellow graduates view and begin their next chapter.

Whether your speech is reflective, humorous, profound, direct, or community-focused, it should resonate with your personal experiences and the collective journey of your peers.

With writespeech.io , you can craft a message that not only honors this special day but also inspires and entertains you just need to fill the template and we will write a unique speech for you.

Congratulations on reaching this significant milestone, and may your speech be as memorable as your time spent learning and growing!

Ready to start writting your speech?

This writer analyzed 100 graduation speeches — here are the 4 tips they all share

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Steve Jobs has been credited over the years with popularizing any number of other people’s inventions, from the personal computer to the tablet to the mobile phone. But none of these gifts may be as enduring as one of his rarely credited contributions to contemporary life — popularizing the viral commencement address.

On June 12, 2005, Jobs stood before the graduating class of Stanford University and reminded them that he had never graduated from college. “Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation.” He then told three stories about his life. “That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.”

That speech , coinciding as it did with the rise of internet virality (the first TED Talk would be posted on TED.com exactly 12 months later; the iPhone was introduced exactly 12 months after that), launched a global obsession with pithy, inspirational talks. Jobs’s speech has since been viewed more than 40 million times on YouTube.

Graduation speeches, long viewed as the burdensome interruption before diplomas were granted and mortar boards were tossed, have since become big business. Kurt Vonnegut, Ann Patchett, Carl Hiaasen, J.K. Rowling, Mary Karr, David Foster Wallace and many others have all had their commencement speeches published as books.

I’ve been fortunate to give a handful of commencement addresses over the years, and I confess to a fascination with the genre. The internet has been a boon this hobby. There are thousands of commencement speeches on the web. Can we learn anything from their messages?

I’ve spent the last few years gathering and coding hundreds of life stories, looking for patterns and takeaways that could help all of us live with more meaning, purpose and joy. I decided to put some of my coding tools to work, analyzing 100 of the most popular recent commencement speeches.

Here are the four tips they all contain:

1. Dream big

“I think it is often easier to make progress on mega-ambitious dreams. I know that sounds completely nuts. But, since no one else is crazy enough to do it, you have little competition. There are so few people this crazy that I feel like I know them all by first name. They all travel as if they are pack dogs and stick to each other like glue. The best people want to work the big challenges.” — Larry Page at University of Michigan , 2009

“We don’t beat the reaper by living longer. We beat the reaper by living well and living fully. For the reaper is always going to come for all of us. The question is: What do we do between the time we are born, and the time he shows up? Because when he shows up, it’s too late to do all the things that you’re always gonna, kinda get around to.” — Randy Pausch at Carnegie Mellon University , 2009

“Graduates, we need you. We need you to run companies and make decisions about who has access to capital. We need you to serve at the highest levels of government and determine our country’s standing in the world. We need you to work in our hospitals and in our courtrooms and in our schools. We need you to shape the future of technology. We need you because your perspective — the sum total of your intellect and your lived experience — will make our country stronger.” — Kamala Harris at Tennessee State University , 2022

2. Work hard

“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. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” — Steve Jobs at Stanford University , 2005

“I just directed my first film. I was completely unprepared, but my own ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director’s chair. Once there, I had to figure it all out, and my belief that I could handle these things, contrary to all evidence of my ability to do so was half the battle. The other half was very hard work. The experience was the deepest and most meaningful one of my career.” — Natalie Portman at Harvard University , 2015

“When you’re doing the work you’re meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus, regardless of what you’re getting paid … But make it your life’s work to remake the world because there is nothing more beautiful or more worthwhile than working to leave something better for humanity.” — Oprah Winfrey at Stanford University , 2008

3. Make mistakes

”Fail big. That’s right. Fail big … It’s a new world out there, and it’s a mean world out there, and you only live once. So do what you feel passionate about. Take chances, professionally. Don’t be afraid to fail. There’s an old IQ test with nine dots, and you had to draw five lines with a pencil within these nine dots without lifting the pencil, and the only way to do it was to go outside the box. So don’t be afraid to go outside the box.” — Denzel Washington at University of Pennsylvania , 2011

“The world doesn’t care how many times you fall down, as long as it’s one fewer than the number of times you get back up.” — Aaron Sorkin at Syracuse University , 2013

“My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best thing in my life. Being embarrassed when you mess up is part of the human experience of getting back up dusting yourself off and seeing who still wants to hang out with you afterward and laugh about it. That’s a gift. The times I was told no or wasn’t included wasn’t chosen, didn’t win, didn’t make the cut, looking back it really feels like those moments we’re as important if not more crucial than the moments I was told yes.” — Taylor Swift at NYU , 2022

“Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.” — Conan O’Brien at Dartmouth College , 2011

“Empathy and kindness are the true signs of emotional intelligence.” — Will Ferrell at the University of Southern California , 2017

“So here’s something I know to be true, although it’s a little corny, and I don’t quite know what to do with it: What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded … sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly. Or, to look at it from the other end of the telescope: Who, in your life, do you remember most fondly, with the most undeniable feelings of warmth? Those who were kindest to you, I bet. It’s a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement, but I’d say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than: Try to be kinder.” — George Saunders at Syracuse University , 2013

So what can we learn from these themes?

Every era in American life has its own standards of what it means to be a success. Shortly after America’s founding, success was all about character. Led by Benjamin Franklin, Americans embraced virtue, industry, and frugality. In the twentieth century, success was all about personality. Led by Dale Carnegie, Americans embraced salesmanship, reinvention and charisma. Today, led by Steve Jobs, Americans are embracing meaning, authenticity and bliss. Or, as Kermit the Frog put it in a 1996 commencement speech at Southampton College , “May success and a smile always be yours … even when you’re knee-deep in the sticky muck of life.”

Dream, work, fail and smile are as good a foursome of American identity today as I know. And if those ideas don’t inspire you, you can always embrace the far more practical advice erroneously attributed to Kurt Vonnegut in a commencement speech that he never gave at MIT, but was instead delivered by Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich in an imaginary speech to graduates she published in an old-fashioned newspaper, “Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97: Wear sunscreen.”

This post was adapted from one published on his newsletter The Nonlinear Life; go here to subscribe.

Watch his TEDxIEMadrid Talk now:

About the author

Bruce Feiler is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including The Secrets of Happy Families and Council of Dads, both of which became the subject of TED Talks. His latest book, Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age, from which this post and TEDx Talk are adapted, describes his journey across America, collecting hundreds of life stories, exploring how we can navigate life’s growing number of transitions with more meaning, purpose and joy. To learn more, visit brucefeiler.com, follow him on Twitter (@brucefeiler), or sign up for his newsletter The Nonlinear Life. 

• bruce feiler
• communication
• inspiration
• society and culture
• surprise me

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24 Graduation Speeches: Speeches You Give in Pointy Hats

Graduation is a big day for graduates, their families, and teachers. If you are called to give a graduation speech, you want to make it special.  I want to share with you what makes a good graduation speech and give you tips on how to write one that will make an impact.

As we begin, you need to wrap your mind around two main things:

• Most people do not remember the graduation speeches they hear, but they do remember the feeling they got in the moment–inspired, bored, challenged.
• The more you tap into shared memories, the more meaningful the speech will be for those listening.

There are two main types of graduation speakers, the student speaker, and the headline speaker. At one college at our university, there is a speech contest to be the graduation speaker and at another college, it is someone who has been nominated by a faculty member. How you get there varies from place to place At the local high school, the valedictorian is often the speaker. I recently went to high school graduation and they had seven valedictorians so they had seven speakers–yes, it was as long as you can imagine.

When thinking about giving a graduation speech, you have to ask, “What does the audience need from me?” They need you to reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and focus on the future. This chapter will walk you through the essentials of giving a graduation speech and then give you several example speeches as samples of key elements.

Gather the Details

• How long will you speak?
• Who will be in attendance?
• Who will introduce you?
• Are you the only speaker?
• Will there be a microphone?
• Can you use speech notes?
• Brainstorm with Friends

This is the fun part. Sit down with friends and make a list of all the things that come to mind about the college experience. When brainstorming, write down everything you think of and don’t try to judge whether it should be included, just go with it.  There is an entire chapter on how to brainstorm here. 

• Food, dining halls, local restaurants
• Hangouts on campus
• Social events
• Notable classes
• Significant memories
• Current events
• Shared college experiences (on our campus it might be buying scantrons, hearing the bells of Old Main, and using Blackboard.

Organizational Format

Most all student graduation speeches include the past, present, and future format.

• Present: Opening statement and the thank you.
• Past: The shared memory.
• Future: The challenge and a closing statement.

Manuscript Format

Most student graduation speeches are in manuscript format. That helps you from getting overwhelmed at the moment and that also gives the school a chance to censor– I mean to approve of–your content. There is an entire chapter on writing a manuscript that you can refer to here. 

Pick a Theme

Many graduation speeches use a theme. Here are some of the most common graduation themes.

It can be helpful to pick a theme and connect a metaphor to your theme. There is an entire chapter on how to do that here. 

“There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to push you in another direction.” Oprah Winfrey, Harvard University Commencement Speech

Start Your Speech with an Introduction

Most introductions acknowledge the occasion, offer thanks, and lead into the main idea. Shutterfly suggests these as openings.

• “Thank you [person who introduced you]. And thank you to the students, teachers, parents, and staff who made these four years everything that they were.”
• “It’s my honor today to deliver the commencement address for this incredible student body.”
• “It is my pleasure to welcome students, families, and faculty to graduation day at [school’s name]. Every one of you has made an impact on the graduates who sit here today.”
• “I stand here before you, looking back on four years of legacy we’ve all made together.”

Use the Principles of Good Ceremonial Speaking

I have written a chapter on each component of ceremonial speaking and you can reference those you need:

• Tell a story
• Use identification, narration, and magnification
• Use colorful language
• Use metaphor, simile,  and theme
• Put your speech in manuscript format

Look for Stories that Celebrate Common Experiences

Notice how Jaclyn Marston reflects on specific classes and memories. (Watch starting at .54 seconds).

Watch how Lin Manuel Miranda references the familiar and the obscure in his address to the University of Pennsylvania (start watching at 1:12).

Use a Theme

Notice how she uses the theme–“What do you want to be” when you grow up and alters it to  “What do you want to do?” She opens with this and wraps back around to this same idea at the end.

Be Vulnerable

Notice how this speaker admits his shortcomings. We feel like he is honest and vulnerable so we hang on his everyword.

Headline Speaker Sample Speeches

Headline speakers are usually someone famous or notable. Speeches by those individuals almost always include stories and challenges. I have included several here. Pick two of them to analyze.

Today I want to tell you three stories from my life. That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories. Steve Jobs

These highlights of Lou Holtz’s graduation speech is full of great challenges and life lessons.

Tim Minchin

“One: Be micro-ambitious. Put your head down and work with pride on whatever is in front of you. You never know where you might end up.

Two: Don’t seek happiness. Keep busy and aim to make someone else happy and you might find you get some as a side effect.

Three:  Understanding that you can’t truly take credit for your successes nor truly blame others for their failures will humble you and make you more compassionate.

Four: Exercise. Take care of your body: you’re going to need it.

Five: Be hard on your opinions. Be intellectually rigorous. Identify your biases, your prejudices, your privileges.

Six: Even if you’re not a teacher, be a teacher. Share your ideas. Don’t take for granted your education.

Seven: Define yourself by what you love. Be demonstrative and generous in your praise of those you admire. Send thank you cards and give standing ovations. Be pro stuff not just anti stuff.

Eight: Respect people with less power than you.

Nine: Finally, don’t rush. You don’t need to know what you’re going to do with the rest of your life.”

As you can see, graduation speeches can be serious or lighthearted; they can be personal, motivational, and informative. The key thing is that the speech should be authentic. It should be as unique as the speaker.

Key Takeaways

Remember This!

• Graduation speeches should reflect on the past, celebrate the present, and inspire towards the future.
• Consider the needs of the audience and find commonalities.
• Tell a story.
• Use a manuscript.

Bonus Features

Jaclyn Marson describes the process of how she wrote her Graduation Speech.

Dunham, A. (2019). Valedictorian comes out as autistic during speech. [Video] YouTube.  https://youtu.be/GtPGrLoU5Uk Standard YouTube License

Holtz, L. (2017). Lou Holtz’s inspirational speech. Commencement speech.[Video] YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M3LOo_Ccyws Standard YouTube License

Jobs, S. (2008). Steve Jobs’ 2005 Stanford Commencement Address. [Video] YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF8uR6Z6KLc Standard YouTube License.

Jostens, (n.d.).  Celebrate high school memories. Inspire your grad community. https://www.jostens.com/resources/students-and-parents/graduation-guides/how-to-write-a-grad-speech

Marson, J. (2020). How to write an amazing graduation speech–Jaclyn Marson podcast Ep 1. [Video] YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5CUSzp9SrM Standard YouTube License.

Marston, J. (2016). Beautiful and moving graduation speech 2016. [Video] YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_F3K3Z_5CEE Standard YouTube License.

Minchin, T. (2013). 9 life lessons-Time Minchin UWA Address. [Video] YouTube.   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoEezZD71sc Standard YouTube License.

Rosen, L. (2019). Leah Rosen: “The power of this place,” Duke University 2019 commencement student speaker. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4N Standard YouTube License.

Shutterfly. (n.d) How to start a graduation speech. https://www.shutterfly.com/ideas/graduation-speech/

Stewart, M.  (2020). Student speaker. Commencement 2020. University of Utah. [Video] YouTube.   h ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZFJnZvuQIo Standard YouTube License.

University of Pennsylvania. (2016). Penn’s 2016 commencement ceremony- Commencement speaker Lin-Manuel Miranda. [Video] YouTube.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewHcsFlolz4&t=0s Standard YouTube License.

Media Attributions

• Graduation Photo © Lynn Meade is licensed under a CC BY (Attribution) license

Advanced Public Speaking Copyright © 2021 by Lynn Meade is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

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How to Write a Graduation Speech (Graduation Speech Examples)

Have you been asked to deliver a commencement speech? Or have you worked your butt off to become valedictorian or salutatorian, and now you have to deliver a graduation speech? In this post, we will cover one of the more challenging types of presentation creation: How to Write a Graduation Speech . (By the way, I have also included a few popular graduation speech examples as a guide for you.)

This post is a continuation of our How to Create a Presentation series. We are going to break this post down into three parts, though. We will show you how to create a commencement speech in this post. Next week, I’ll show you how to write a valedictorian speech and how to deliver a salutatorian speech. Each of these graduation speeches has a slightly different purpose, but all of them need to be inspirational and funny.

How to Write a Commencement Speech

The commencement speech is often the keynote speech of the graduation ceremony. This presentation should be uplifting and entertaining, but this graduation speech should also teach a life lesson to the graduating students. If you do a search on YouTube of the best graduation speeches, many of these speakers will be famous comedians. When a comedian delivers a commencement speech, and the speech is posted on YouTube, it will always get a ton of views. The humor alone will make people want to watch the video. Three of the most popular of these speeches are by Conan O’Brien, Will Ferrell, and Ellen DeGeneres. The interesting thing about the speeches from these famous comedians is that, yes, they are funny, but the inspiration comes from what they learned from their failures.

“There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life life trying to push you in another direction.” Oprah Winfrey, Harvard University Commencement Speech

A Good Structure When You Write a Commencement Address

Thank the crowd.

Start with Something Funny

Be Inspirational

The inspirational part of your commencement speech will come from the theme of the graduation speech . (For Sample Graduation Speech Themes , see the section below.) The easiest way to develop a theme is to look for an inspirational famous quote about success. You can do this by just going to Google and type in “success quotes”. Once you come up with a great quote, you can either paraphrase the quote and make it your own or quote the original speaker.

Tell Stories from Your Own Experience Related to Your Quote (Theme).

This the most important part of how to write a graduation speech. The stories and examples are what the audience will remember. These stories add emotion and inspiration to your graduation speech. They also help you build rapport with the audience. Finally, these stories make your delivery much easier. You don’t have to memorize a lot of material. Instead, just play the video in your head of what happened and describe the incident to the graduates.

For a great example of this, watch the YouTube video on Stanford University’s channel where Steve Jobs gives the commencement speech. I love this speech, because Jobs skips the introduction and the funny stuff and starts his speech with the following. “I’m going to tell you three stories.” It’s simple, and the crowd loves him.

End with an Inspirational Call to Action.

So as you go on to the next stage in your life and you experience failure… because you will experience failure, use that as a stepping stone to your next success. Persevere. Don’t rest on that success. Use it as a stepping stone to your next success. Persevere, and you will experience a series of successes and failures that will allow you to accomplish something great!”

Use this outline to create a simple 20 to 30 minute speech. (The shorter the better… No one gets a diploma until you finish.)

Sample Graduation Speech Themes

If you are having trouble coming up with a theme for your graduation speech, here are a few Sample Commencement Speech Themes. As you read through them, think about which them or quote has been most applicable in your career? Once you choose a graduation speech them, use the outline above to create your speech.

• Hard Work Leads to Success

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” — Coleman Cox

• Create Your Own Path.

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” — Herman Melville

• Make Things Happen.

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” — Henry David Thoreau

• Don’t Settle for Average. Strive for Greatness.

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” –John D. Rockefeller

• Don’t Wait for the Perfect Opportunity. Look for a Way to Create Your Own Opportunity.

“Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” — Chris Grosser/blockquote> The Road Ahead is Hard, But It Leads to Success. “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” — Jim Rohn

• Focus on Your Dream.

“The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.” — Bruce Lee

• Learn from Every Mistake to Move Toward Success.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” — Conrad Hilton

• When Your Why is Big Enough, Your How Will Appear.

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” — Jim Rohn

• Happiness is the Key to Success.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” — Albert Schweitzer

Use the Speech Creator as a Guide to How to Create a Graduation Speech

Once you have chosen a them, and you have a few stories to inspire your audience, use our Online Speech Writer to help you organize your thoughts. (It’s free.)

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Graduation Speech [20 Examples + Template]

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Being selected as a commencement speaker is a great recognition, but the responsibility can be intimidating. How do you know what kind of message will hit home for the graduates at this point in their lives? How do you make your message stand out from other words of wisdom that the graduating class has heard before?

Fortunately, there are many incredible graduation speeches from which you can pull information. We’ve gathered 15 of the best graduation speech examples here to make your research and brainstorming process easier. A little studying can give you ideas for the perfect graduation speech topic and help you write your speech efficiently.

In this article:

Graduation Speech Examples

Graduation speech template.

Take note of the flow and structure of the examples, and let them guide you in creating your own graduation speech outline. Remember to practice your speech and memorize the bulk of it so you’re able to deliver with confidence. With a strong theme and plenty of practice, you’re sure to gain the audience’s attention and leave them inspired.

Here are 15 free graduation speech examples to gain inspiration from. If you like a style or message of a sample speech, use it as a model to create your own original version.

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1. Funny Valedictorian Speech

This valedictorian entertains the audience of his high school graduation speech with subtle, kind-hearted jokes that reflect the graduating class and the school faculty. The graduation speaker has a sentimental theme to his speech, but his light humor ensures that the presentation is both meaningful and memorable.

“You see, this is not goodbye. This is see you in two to 10 years when I’m significantly smarter, wealthier, funnier, and more handsome than I am right now.”

2. College Graduation Speech Example: Conan O’Brien at Dartmouth College

You don’t have to be a famous comedian to deliver a funny graduation speech, but let Conan O’Brien’s speech at Dartmouth College serve as a good model to create your own. Intertwining life advice and great jokes, O’Brien inspires graduates to get past failure and pave their own paths.

“Today I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment, you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality.”

3. Preschool Graduation Speech

This preschool graduation speech is a great example for teachers who need to give a commencement address. A speech for a preschool or kindergarten graduation is different, in that the speaker is mostly communicating to the parents of the graduates. This preschool teacher delivers a meaningful speech that explains the joy in her job, while touching on the humorous things the students have said over the months.

“Tomorrow I give you back your child, the same child you entrusted in my care last fall, except now I give them back to you pounds heavier, inches taller… I give them back to you a little smarter, a little more mature, and a little more responsible than they were 10 months ago.”

4. David Foster Wallace Kenyon College Commencement Speech

In what is recognized as one of the best graduation speeches of all time, David Foster Wallace affirms to a class of liberal arts students that their education taught them how to think and how to be self-aware.

“The only thing that’s capital-T True is that you get to decide how you’re gonna try to see it. This, I submit, is the freedom of a real education, of learning how to be well-adjusted. You get to consciously decide what has meaning and what doesn’t. You get to decide what to worship.”

5. Middle School Graduation Speech

A class president delivers a heartwarming message in a storytelling format at his middle school graduation ceremony.

“Once upon a time, three long years ago, a journey began. We were obedient little munchkins, climbing up stairs meant for giants, carrying heavy backpacks filled with every sort of colored pencil existing on this earth.”

6. University of Wisconsin-Madison Commencement Speech 2017

Steven Levitan, creator of the award-winning show “Modern Family,” was the commencement speaker at the University of Wisconsin-Madison for the graduating class of 2017. This is a good example to follow if you’re an alum of the college you’re presenting to.

“It’s hard to believe I graduated here 33 years ago. I still have the official university photo of me receiving my diploma wearing only shorts under my cap and gown and holding a big bottle of champagne, as if to say, ‘Hey world, lower your expectations.'”

7. Mark Zuckerberg’s Harvard University Commencement Speech

Successful people are often chosen as commencement speakers for university graduation ceremonies. See how the CEO and founder of Facebook is able to portray humility in relating to the 2017 graduating class at Harvard University.

“I’m honored to be with you today because, let’s face it, you accomplished something I never could. If I get through this speech, it’ll be the first time I actually finish something at Harvard. Class of 2017, congratulations!”

8. Al Roker’s Commencement Speech at Champlain College

Upon receiving his doctorate degree of humane letters, the “Today Show” weather anchor delivered an inspirational speech to the graduating class. Roker speaks to the class’s generation and relates his graduation speech topic back to his own upbringing.

“Be in the moment. Stop living through your screen. Experience it now.”

9. Steve Jobs’ Commencement Speech at Stanford University

The Apple CEO’s commencement speech at 2005 to the graduating class at Stanford University is one of the classics. Jobs tells stories about his own experiences with dropping out of college, being fired from Apple, and being diagnosed with cancer.

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of the other opinion drown out your own inner voice. And, most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition.”

10. Elementary School Graduation Speech

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pVOQVsbkmbM

This fifth-grade class speaker relates her teacher’s message to a lesson from her grandfather as her opening hook .

“To survive the fifth grade is not barely making it through. Instead, to survive means to perform with distinction.

11. Ellen Degeneres Commencement Speech at Tulane University

The famous talk show host and comedian Ellen Degeneres’s commencement speech at Tulane University is a great example of how a guest speaker can identify with her audience.

“It was so important for me to lose everything because I found what the most important thing is. The most important thing is to be true to yourself.”

12. University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address

Rear Admiral William H. McRaven aims to inspire his audience right from the beginning. The rear admiral encourages the graduating class to change the world, relating everyday life struggles to those of the people in the military.

“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”

13. Matthew McConaughey Commencement Speech

Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey drew from his own personal story to deliver an inspirational commencement speech at the University of Houston. McConaughey gives the graduating class 13 life lessons, including to define success for yourself and find joy in your work.

“Prioritize who you are and who you want to be. Don’t spend time with anything that antagonizes your character.”

14. Commencement Address by Jim Carrey

In his commencement address at Maharishi University of Management, actor Jim Carrey tells an emotional personal story. Carrey uses emotion to encourage the graduating class to walk their own path and never settle in life.

“Your need for acceptance can make you invisible in this world. Don’t let anything stand in the way of the light that shines through this form. Risk being seen in all of your glory.”

15. Stephen Colbert’s Commencement Speech at Wake Forest University

The famous comedian delivers a witty and funny graduation speech, offering students practical advice for the real world.

“And if there’s one thing you need even more, it’s your own set of standards. It may seem counterintuitive now, but once you leave here, you may miss being graded on all your work. Because when you’re out of school, there are no objective criteria for achievement anymore.”

16. Inspiring Graduation Speech

In this remarkable graduation speech, the class valedictorian makes a political statement by publicly revealing her status as an undocumented immigrant. The speech starts out with jokes, but turns into a moving performance that’s as powerful as it is fun to watch.

“To each and every single one of you, I say thank you. You taught me that it’s okay to be different and that there will always be people willing to overlook those differences and accept you for being yourself.”

17. Funny Graduation Speech

This class-elected graduation speaker has the perfect delivery of well-crafted jokes and one-liners throughout her speech. She keeps the whole class laughing and never misses a beat.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to pursuing an additional 4-year education – which I can’t afford.”

18. Moving Graduation Speech

This college graduation speech educates listeners about women’s education through the eyes of the speaker, who encountered resistance to seeking an education just because she was a woman. It’s nearly impossible to listen to this speech without feeling moved to take action.

“I couldn’t have imagined attending college, simply because we weren’t allowed to. My sisters weren’t allowed to; the girls before me weren’t allowed to.”

19. Funny Graduation Speech

This graduation speech by the senior class president is humorous and engaging. The class president reminisces with plenty of jokes in a speech full of fun memories and just the right amount of inspiration.

“I know we can all agree that this class is resilient. We survived an earthquake, two blackouts, and Ebola.”

20. Short Graduation Speech

Graduation ceremonies can be long, but the speeches don’t have to be. This short graduation speech uses an “ABCs of life” format to pack a lot of power into a short amount of time. The class president gets wild applause from the audience for his quick but clever speech.

“We must Q – quit quitting, and R – run the race with patience.”

• Thank teachers and your parents or other family members for their support, encouragement, help, aid or personal assistance during your years of studying.
• Praise accomplishments and achievements of the class.
• Reflect upon the past years, what has changed and is interesting enough to share with all?
• Mention funny and exciting events, you can opt for funny oneliners or even small innocent jokes, poems or quotations from famous people if you like.
• Motivate your fellow students and teachers and professors to look to the bright future:
• I continue with the 10 most wanted and popular graduation speech topics:
• Give advice, but avoid boring cliches that are totally not surprising.
• Entertain by telling humorous anecdotes and vivid stories. Offer an account of an interesting or humorous incident.
• Express the feelings of the class. But do not go over the top.
• Say farewell to all attendees. This acknowledgment at parting is the warming-up for the next and final step
• Wish the graduates of your class all the best and thank them for listening.

Don’t forget to:

Thank the parents and family.  Have your class honor them with applause. Not only have they made sure you showed up to school, there’s a host of other responsibilities that parents have sacrificed to accomplish for you. Now is your moment to focus on them for a minute or so.

Thank the teachers and administrators.  Each teacher or professor works many long hours that you don’t see in the classroom, and many have poured their hearts and lives into teaching. Take this moment to make it worth it for them.

Use some of my vote of thanks example expressions to feed you imagination for topics for graduation speech a little bit.

Make the address personal. When you decide to make your graduation speech personal, you will experience much bigger success. It will also be more fun to write and deliver a talk that brings high school or college to a close with recognition of the small things in education life. The memories you will run across looking through yearbooks and talking about with friends will be priceless for you as well.

Calm the nerves.  It is very intimidating to address hundreds of people in the audience while delivering a graduation speech. Many of us have fear of public speaking. Before you proceed, do this test. And practice the tips.

Consider including:

STORIES Include stories about your school. These high school graduation speech topics can be about teachers and funny things that have happened over the year.

EVENTS Include motivational or moving events that may have happened – perhaps volunteer opportunities that have changed the students’ perspective. Make sure that any major events that have happened are recognized.

Sports and music events that have been important to the school need to be recognized, even if it happened in one of the prior years of your class and not the graduating year.

CLASS EXPERIENCE Bring the class experience alive for those attending the graduation. Grandparents and parents, as well as siblings, have heard the names from school.

Bring the people to the campus life that they have heard about.

DECEASED If a fellow student or teacher has died, mention that person. Make it not a funeral obituary eulogy but recognize them for the family who might be present.

PROJECTS Mention any projects that the school has undertaken; if you have been involved in a community garden or other volunteer organization give credit for the impact it has made.

Pet Peeve Speech Topics

Commemorative Speech

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Inspirational Graduation Speeches

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Do you have a graduating son or daughter? A high school or college graduation is a major milestone in life that should not be ignored. The graduation ceremony celebrates hard work and encourages students to move into the world to achieve great things. This hopeful message is further cemented through an inspirational graduation speech.

As you celebrate graduation day and wish your student good luck, consider the following commencement advice you can share as well as inspirational quotes for a happy graduation.

Here are the best graduation speeches and inspirational message graduation quotes to inspire you and change your life.

Page Contents

1. Barack Obama – Howard University, 2016

You have to go through life with more than just passion for change; you need a strategy. I’ll repeat that. I want you to have passion, but you have to have a strategy. Not just awareness but action. Not just hashtags, but votes. Barack Obama

During his graduation message, Barack Obama spoke with hope. He urged the graduating students to be hardworking yet pragmatic as they sought justice, equality, and freedom. Howard University is one of the nation’s most distinguished and historically Black universities.

In 2020, Barack Obama also shared a graduation message to the Class of 2020 as part of Graduate Together: America Honors the High School Class of 2020 . These students had to learn to overcome obstacles and challenges that classes before them had not had to deal with due to the pandemic.

The disappointments of missing a live graduation, those will pass pretty quick…What remains true is that your graduation marks your passage into adulthood—the time when you begin to take charge of your own life. It’s when you get to decide what’s important to you: the kind of career you want to pursue. Who you want to build a family with. The values you want to live by. And given the current state of the world, that may be kind of scary. Barack Obama

Obama goes on to offer hope and support as graduating students set out to navigate a very new landscape and shape a new world.

2. David Foster Wallace – Kenyon Graduation Speech, 2005

There are these two young fish swimming along, and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods at them and says, “Morning, boys. How’s the water?” And the two young fish swim on for a bit, and then eventually, one of them looks over at the other and goes, “What the hell is water? David Foster Wallace

In this commencement address, Wallace reminds us that we often forget, or take for granted, the most obvious things around us. He acknowledges it’s difficult to stay aware of what’s happening in the world, especially when you’re too busy dealing with the monologue inside your head.

That’s what a college education is about, according to him. It’s learning how to think and exercising some degree of control over your thoughts so you can choose what to pay attention to.

Our thoughts affect our realities, and the ability to choose how you “construct meaning from experience” will determine the lenses from which you see the world and how you react in return.

3. Natalie Portman – Harvard Graduation Speech 2015

Sometimes your insecurities and your inexperience may lead you, too, to embrace other people’s expectations, standards, or values. But you can harness that inexperience to carve out your own path, one that is free of the burden of knowing how things are supposed to be, a path that is defined by its own particular set of reasons . Natalie Portman

Natalie Portman majored in psychology at Harvard University because she believed it would help her acting. She graduated in 2003. In her commencement speech at the 2015 graduation ceremony, she spoke of her own self-doubt and gave an inspiring, funny , and wisdom-filled speech for the graduating class.

Portman said even though she was a successful student and went on to find success as an actress, she still struggled with her own worth but eventually learned to set her own goals.

4. Ellen DeGeneres – Tulane University, 2009

Never follow anyone else’s path, unless you’re in the woods and you’re lost and you see a path and by all means you should follow that. Don’t give advice, it will come back and bite you in the ass. Don’t take anyone’s advice. So my advice to you is to be true to yourself and everything will be fine. Ellen Degeneres

This is one of the funniest graduation speeches ever! All humor aside, this speech shows why  it’s better to be true to yourself instead of trying desperately to be a second-rate version of someone else.

For years, Ellen thought being bisexual might prevent her from being a successful stand-up comedian, but it’s just not the case. Ellen proved that you could be successful, whoever you are, if you worked hard and learned from your past experiences— even one as sad as the death of a loved one.

5. Charlie Munger – University of California Law School, 2007

*Skip to 4:08 for the actual speech

You’re not going to get very far in life based on what you already know. You’re going to advance in life by what you’re going to learn after you leave here. Charlie Munger

Education doesn’t stop after you graduate from college. It doesn’t stop after you finish your MBA or PhD either. Munger says, “Wisdom acquisition is a moral duty. It’s not just something you do to advance in life.”

It’s a moral duty because it’s only through continuous learning that we can add to the vast knowledge of man kind. If we stopped learning, progress in all industries—computers, finance, engineering, biology, stops as well.

6. Michelle Obama – Eastern Kentucky University, 2013

If you’re a Democrat, spend some time talking to a Republican. And if you’re a Republican, have a chat with a Democrat. Maybe you’ll find some common ground, maybe you won’t. But if you honestly engage with an open mind and an open heart, I guarantee you’ll learn something. And goodness knows we need more of that, because we know what happens when we only talk to people who think like we do — we just get more stuck in our ways, more divided, and it gets harder to come together for a common purpose. Michelle Obama

As far as inspirational speeches go, Michelle Obama’s speech is very actionable. Her advice is simple (not easy), talk to each other with an open mind.

Different religion, race, political stand, it doesn’t matter. We can all learn from one another.

7. Jim Carrey – Maharashi University of Management, 2014

This is one of my favorite motivational speeches because Jim Carrey is such a good example of his message.

So many of us choose our path out of fear disguised as practicality. My father could have been a great comedian, but he didn’t believe that that was possible for him, and so he made a conservative choice. Instead, he got a safe job as an account. Jim Carrey

Carrey’s father lost his accounting job when he was 12, and it was then he realized that failure is inevitable , whether you’re doing what you want or not. If that’s the case, you might as well take a stab at doing something you love.

8. J.K Rowling – Harvard Commencement Address, 2008

I was set free, because my greatest fear had been realized, and I was still alive, and I still had a daughter whom I adored, and I had an old typewriter and a big idea. J.K. Rowling

This is probably one of the most inspirational videos for writers and creatives everywhere.

Rowling was suffering from depression when he wrote the Harry Potter books. But through grit and patience with herself, she was able to complete the first Harry Potter Manuscript and, stay motivated to continue even when feeling down. Thanks to her drive and imagination, the world has Harry Potter !

9. Bono – University of Pennsylvania, 2004

In case you don’t know him, Bono is the lead singer of the famous band U2. Of course, being the rock star he is, he leads his speech by saying, “My name is Bono, and I am a rock star.”

In his speech, he urges graduates to carefully consider their big idea, in saying:

What are you willing to spend your moral capital, your intellectual capital, your cash, (and) your sweat equity in pursuing outside of the walls of the University of Pennsylvania? The world is more malleable than you think, and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape. Bono

Being a rock star, I thought Bono would talk about the perils of fame, the road to stardom or something to that effect. But instead, he talked about big ideas and changing the world.

10. Amy Poehler – Harvard University, 2011

Life is like a heist that requires good drivers, an explosives expert, a hot girl who doubles as a master of disguise, and this is a hard and fast rule. If the Rock shows up, they’re on to you . Amy Poehler

During her commencement speech at Harvard University in 2011, Amy Poehler expressed her surprise at the invitation to do so. She delivered a speech with jokes, advice, and insight as she looked out at the graduates.

She told them to head out into the world with love, light, joy, and laughter. Finishing off her speech in true Amy Poehler fashion, she also says, “please don’t forget to tip your waitresses.”

11. Meryl Streep – Barnard College, 2010

This is your time, and it feels normal to you, but really there is no normal. There’s only change, and resistance to it and then more change . Meryl Streep

Meryl Streep is an actress most famous for Sophie’s Choice , The Devil Wears Prada , and Mamma Mia . She was asked to deliver the commencement speech to Barnard College in 2010. Her speech was dripping with extreme personality, honesty, and bluntness.

Streep shared her own personal stories and emphasized the importance of empathy. The audience was all women, so the speech was directed at them, but she shared many graduation messages that applied to everyone.

12. Kerry Washington – George Washington University, 2013

You and you alone are the only person who can live the life that writes the story you were meant to tell . Kerry Washington

Kerry Washington is an actress, producer, and director. In 2018, she was named the eighth highest-paid television actress and has won several awards, including the President’s Award.

In her commencement speech at George Washington University in 2013, she urged graduates to go beyond their comfort zones and live their own stories.

How to Create Your Own Inspirational Graduation Speech

Do you need to write your own inspirational speech or curate the perfect graduation message? Here are a few tips on how to do just that, so you can inspire others like the commencement speeches above.

Start With a Quote

Start with a relevant quote. This sets the overall tone of your speech and grabs your audience’s attention. A good example of this is a quote by David Brinkley, “A successful man is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.”

Provide Scenarios

Now that you have drawn in the audience, present a what-if scenario to encourage the audience to continue following your thought process.

You can also provide a scenario encouraging the audience to put themselves directly into it. Suggest that they imagine doing something and ask what they would do if it doesn’t go as planned.

If you are giving a graduation message, ask where they see themselves years down the road or what they picture success as. You can then offer advice and insight based on your own experience.

Ask Questions

You should also ask questions, whether they are literal or rhetorical. When you present a question to someone, the person intuitively answers it, keeping them engaged with what you have to say.

Pause for Silence

When giving an inspirational speech, it also helps to pause for a few seconds after important points. This pause allows the audience to react to what you have to say and settle down before you continue with your next statement. The pause is also a good way to draw attention to what you want to say.

What Makes an Inspirational Graduation Speech?

The best graduation speech should have a very uplifting message that leads with education and wisdom. The graduation speech should focus on the graduates’ achievements and accomplishments. It should highlight the sacrifices that may have been made.

When writing a graduation or inspirational speech, ensure a strong theme or message is conveyed to keep your audience’s focus and attention.

Do you remember the speaker on your graduation day? What pearls of wisdom did he or she share?

Related Reading : Don’t forget what you worked so hard on in school! Check out our 150 Education Quotes for Teachers and Students , too. These gems are good for any graduation card when offering congratulations.

Natalie Seale

3 thoughts on “Inspirational Graduation Speeches”

Am really inspired by these brief messages,indeed education has no boundary; therefore, I say to you,” education is immeasurable, regardless of what disciplines or background we find ourselves.

These are very inspiring. My favorite is from J.K. Rowling. Thanks for sharing

Actually Very Inspiring ……thanks for sharing

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The Best Commencement Speeches, Ever

Looking for some new words of wisdom? Check out our hand-picked selection of commencement addresses, going back to 1774. Search over 350 speeches by name, school, date or theme — and find out what they have in common with pop songs — on our blog: n.pr/ed .

By Jeremy Bowers, Emily Davis, Danny DeBelius, Christopher Groskopf, Anya Kamenetz, Meredith Rizzo, Sami Yenigun

Thanks to Cristina Negrut, the creator of http://graduationwisdom.com/ where many of these speeches were first collected.

May 19, 2014, Last updated: July 2, 2015

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Aaron Sorkin

Syracuse University

Abigail Washburn

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Adam Savage

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Adrienne Rich

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Ahmed Zewail

University of Tennessee

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Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Harvard University

Alexis Ohanian

Carthage College

Alice Greenwald

Amy poehler, anderson cooper.

Tulane University

Andrew Young

Andy samberg, angela ahrendts.

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Angela Davis

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Anne Lamott

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Barack Obama

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Bradley Whitford

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Brian J. Dyson

Georgia Tech

Brian Kenny

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Callie Khouri

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Candy Crowley

Maharishi University

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Carl Schramm

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Carly Fiorina

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Charles w. colson.

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Chuck Norris

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Speech Writing

Graduation Speech

Crafting the Perfect Graduation Speech: A Guide with Examples

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Have you ever stood at the threshold of a new journey, feeling a mix of excitement and uncertainty? 

Well, if you're a soon-to-be graduate, that's probably exactly how you're feeling right now.

The big day is coming, and you're wondering, 'How will I write my speech? Can I ask for speech writing help?

Don’t worry!

In this blog, we're going to tell you how to write a graduation speech for students. Get ready to discover the secrets of crafting a graduation speech that not only captures your audience's attention but also leaves a profound impact on your fellow graduates.

Let's transform that uncertainty into inspiration and confidence as we delve into the art of delivering a speech that will make your graduation day truly unforgettable.

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• 1. What is a Graduation Speech?
• 2. How to Write a Graduation Speech?
• 3. Graduation Speeches From Notable Figures 
• 4. Graduation Speech Examples for Students 
• 5. Graduation Speech Ideas - 2023
• 6. Graduation Speech Writing Tips 

What is a Graduation Speech?

A graduation speech is the heart of your big day, bringing together all your experiences and achievements. 

It's more than just talking – it's a way to inspire and celebrate. It's not just a tradition. This type of speech is a chance to share what you've learned and dream about the future.

Your graduation speech should include everyone – your friends, the tough times you all faced, and the good times you shared. 

Elements of Graduation Speech

Creating a memorable graduation speech involves several key elements that can help you connect with your audience and make a lasting impression. 

Here are the crucial elements you should consider:

All these elements make a strong and memorable speech and help make your graduation successful.

How to Write a Graduation Speech?

Writing an inspirational graduation speech that stands out isn't as daunting as it may seem. 

With a structured approach and a dash of creativity, you can deliver the best special occasion speech that leaves a lasting impact on your audience. 

Here's a step-by-step guide on how to start a graduation speech and create an inspiring address:

Begin with a Memorable Opening 

Start with an attention-grabbing quote, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question. 

This sets the tone for your speech and captures your audience's interest right from the beginning.

Express Gratitude 

Show appreciation to your teachers, parents, and fellow students. 

Express how their support and contributions have been instrumental in your academic journey. This sets a positive and grateful tone for your speech.

Reflect on Meaningful Moments 

Share personal stories and school experiences that have had a significant impact on your life and the lives of your classmates. 

Use these anecdotes to connect with your audience emotionally.

Offer Words of Inspiration 

Provide words of inspiration and motivation. Encourage your fellow graduates to embrace the future with confidence and courage.

Use stories or quotes to illustrate your points.

Share Practical Advice 

Share life lessons and any advice you've learned during your academic journey. 

Offer insights related to pursuing goals, overcoming challenges, and maintaining a positive outlook on life.

Emphasize Unity and Shared Experiences 

Highlight the importance of unity and the bonds formed with your classmates. 

Emphasize the strength of collective experiences and friendships that have been a significant part of your school life.

Discuss Hopes and Dreams 

Talk about your hopes and dreams for the future, both for yourself and your fellow graduates. Paint a vivid picture of the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.

End with an Inspiring Conclusion 

Conclude your speech with a memorable message that resonates with your audience. 

Leave them with a lasting impression or a call to action that inspires them to take on the future with enthusiasm.

Graduation Speeches From Notable Figures 

Notable figures, from celebrities to accomplished professionals, often deliver inspiring graduation speeches, sharing their wisdom, experiences, and advice with the graduates. 

In this section, we explore some remarkable graduation speeches that have left a lasting impact on audiences worldwide.

Taylor Swift Graduation Speech 

Taylor Swift, the renowned singer-songwriter, delivered an inspiring graduation speech that emphasized embracing change and authenticity. 

Her words have motivated graduates worldwide, making her speech a source of valuable life lessons.

“The times I was told no or wasn’t included, wasn’t chosen, didn’t win, didn’t make the cut…looking back, it really feels like those moments were as important, if not more crucial, than the moments I was told ‘yes.’ …” 

Watch complete graduation speech here: 

Rory Gilmore Graduation Speech 

Rory Gilmore, a beloved fictional character from the TV series "Gilmore Girls," delivered a heartwarming graduation speech that celebrated the value of hard work, ambition, and the pursuit of dreams. 

Her speech remains an iconic moment in the series and a testament to the power of perseverance and ambition.

Watch her graduation speech here:

Ree Drummond - Oklahoma State University 

Ree Drummond, known as "The Pioneer Woman," shared her insights and wisdom in a graduation speech delivered in 2022. 

Her address offers a unique perspective on life, success, and the pursuit of dreams, making it a valuable resource for graduates seeking inspiration and guidance as they set out on their own paths.

Listen to the complete speech in this video:

Steve Jobs - 2005 

Steve Jobs' iconic 2005 commencement speech at Stanford University delivered invaluable life lessons and inspiration. 

His words continue to resonate with graduates and individuals worldwide, offering timeless guidance on pursuing one's passions and creating a meaningful life.

Check out his complete speech in this video: 

Graduation Speech Examples for Students 

Looking for inspiration for your own graduation speech? Here is a short graduation speech:

Read some more diverse graduation speech samples to spark your creativity:

Graduation Speech for Kindergarten - Example

Short Graduation Speech

Graduation Speech for Kids

Graduation Speech For Primary 6

8th Grade Graduation Speech

High School Graduation Speech

Explore a collection of inspiring graduation speeches, each offering a unique perspective on this momentous occasion.

Graduation Speech by Students - Example

Graduation Speech for Parents - Example

Graduation Speech by Teacher - Example

Graduation Speech by Principal- Example

Graduation Speech Thanking Teachers

Graduation Speech Ideas - 2023

Here are some interesting and fun graduation speech ideas.

• Talk about a current school event.
• Try something new like poetry or metaphors to make your speech interesting.
• Tell a story about your class, for example, ‘what was the driving force of the class of 2021?’
• Use quotes from famous and classic books.
• Use lyrics from the class anthem.
• Be inspirational and share an inspirational story.
• Share a humorous experience.
• Convey a memorable message.
• If appropriate, add a song with meaning.
• Appreciate a fellow classmate or a teacher.
• Connect your speech with your 1st day at school.
• Significant events that took place in the school.
• A professor that made you fall in love with a major subject.
• The long time you spent in the school library and how it impacted your interactions with other students.
• Tell me about who inspired you the most in your life.

Graduation Speech Writing Tips 

Crafting a memorable graduation speech can be a rewarding yet challenging task. Here are some essential tips to help you write an impactful and engaging speech for your big day:

• Know Your Audience: Understanding your audience is crucial to tailor your speech effectively.
• Start Strong: An attention-grabbing beginning sets the tone for your speech.
• Tell Personal Stories: Personal anecdotes and experiences create a meaningful connection.
• Inspire and Motivate: Your speech should encourage confidence about the future.
• Share Practical Advice: Offering practical life advice adds value to your speech.
• Embrace Humor: Appropriately used humor can engage your audience.
• Be Concise: Keeping your speech at an appropriate length is essential to maintain interest.
• Practice and Rehearse: Preparation ensures confidence in your delivery.
• End on a High Note: A memorable conclusion leaves a lasting impression.

As you take that first step forward, congratulations on your graduation, and we wish you the best of luck in whatever comes next. We hope this graduation speech guide has given you some pointers for what to say in your speech.

If you need further help, you can avail of our assistance and get your speech before the big day.

At MyPerfectWords.com , one of the best essay writing service for college , we help new graduates make their day memorable by delivering quality speeches.

Buy speech from us and get ready to shine.

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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Words of Wisdom: 10 Inspirational Graduation Speeches

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Recently, Education Week and Education Week Teacher asked readers to send us 2012 high school commencement addresses that inspired them. Below you’ll find graduation remarks delivered by a superintendent, a judge, a school board member, a corporate executive, and, of course, students. In addition to the speeches submitted by readers, Education Week Commentary Intern Ellen Wexler scoured the Internet for stirring language from other high school commencement speakers. Read on, and feel free to add your own advice for the class of 2012 in the online comments section below.

I challenge you all to take everything you’ve learned from every experience, conversation, and lesson plan with you into the real world and make the best of it. No, it’s not going to be easy, nor will success knock on your door tomorrow night, but I want for you all to continue to make PROGRESS. Whether it be in school, at work, or just becoming a better person in life, always, always, always continue to make progress.

Gavin Barner Student Greensboro College Middle College, Greensboro, N.C. May 18, 2012 Read the full speech. (PDF)

Always remember, good ideas may come at you very rarely in life. Seize them, grab them, and act on them.

William A. Clark Manheim Central School District Superintendent Manheim Central High School, Manheim, Pa. June 8, 2012 Read the full speech. (PDF)

First, I believe that the world is not as ugly as it sounds. There is undue pressure put upon graduating classes that they need to go forth into society and fix it completely. We are led to think that we’re being sent off into a sick and tired planet Earth, full of chaos and disaster, on the brink of destruction, and we are supposed to roll up our sleeves like an old World War II poster and clean up the mess. But while we do owe a service to the world, I believe in a brighter outlook.

The world is not ugly, or broken. It is just much older than us, and has aged accordingly. ... It is easy to be scared by the horrors of the daily news, but I believe that it is our job to seek the good of it all—the good that will always exist amidst opposition.

Jenna Donahue President, Class of 2012 Avon High School, Avon, Conn. June 15, 2012 Read the full speech.

Complexity, diversity, and pace of change will characterize the business environment of the future, and you will necessarily have to compete in that environment by embracing change. It cannot be assumed for a minute that what was done, or was relied upon yesterday, will be viable tomorrow. ...

Don’t be satisfied with answers that are correct. Instead, train yourself to always look for better ways, better answers. Don’t settle for just being a good and competent employee. Be creative. Be innovative. See the big picture. You will have a huge advantage in the new industrial world. ...

Finally, make sure you learn to communicate well. Communication is perhaps the least-emphasized skill set in most educational programs, but I guarantee you that communication will be the ultimate key to your success.

Tom Brady Chairman, Plastic Technologies Inc.; Chairman, TECHS Governance Board Toledo Early College High School, Toledo, Ohio May 25, 2012 Read the full speech. (PDF)

I’d like to share with you just four recommendations on how to maximize the experience of college and prepare for later success in life:

• Be the first one to ask a question in class, and even more importantly, in large lecture halls. You’ll get noticed by your professors ... and, eventually, develop a relationship with your professors.
• Exercise every day.
• Take the lead to form study groups for one or more of your classes: The annual Harvard freshman study shows that students in study groups are happier and achieve higher grades than those who do all their work alone.
• Be a hero to someone. ...

Remember the words of Horace Mann in his last commencement speech in 1859: “Be ashamed to die until you have won some victory for humanity.”

Patrick F. Bassett President, National Association of Independent Schools Fountain Valley School of Colorado, Colorado Springs, Colo. June 26, 2012 Read the full speech. (PDF)

Character is not created with a single act, no matter how brilliant or bold. It is forged in the smallest of struggles, the product of a thousand, thousand strokes. Your tool for carving your character’s template lies, in the words of the poet Robert Lowell, within your “peculiar power to choose.” Ultimately, it is the choice of the fundamental over the frivolous, preferring what is true over what’s accepted, the choosing of what is right over what is easy.

Gary Brochu President, Berlin, Conn., Board of Education Berlin High School, Berlin, Conn. June 17, 2012 Read the full speech.

You’ve learned who you are and what needs to be done to build a better tomorrow. ... And it doesn’t have to be what we’ve done. Soccer players have stopped civil wars. The Innocence Project is ending wrongful imprisonment. Doctors stopped smallpox. Start an art studio, write inspiring folk music, build a soup kitchen. ... [M]ake a billion dollars and give it away. Just do something that makes you happy.

Elliott Witney School Leader, KIPP Academy KIPP Houston High School, Houston June 2, 2012 Read the full speech.

We were only in 2nd grade when the planes hit the World Trade Center, and we were only teenagers when the economy started to collapse. It’s hard to be so sure about your own future when the world doesn’t seem to know its own future.

But it is the generations that faced the most that turn out to make the biggest difference. We are one of those generations.

Will Eichhorn Co-valedictorian Perry Hall High School, Baltimore June 1, 2012 Read the full speech.

Is it really that difficult to find in ourselves the motivation and perseverance to keep fighting for a brighter future? All it takes is to believe that it is possible—that it is possible for us to achieve our goal, our dream. Our past is crucial for our future. We must use our past experiences to transform ourselves into an intellectual, responsible man or intellectual, responsible woman. ...

I believe that a person who endures unexpected challenges and hardship, yet emerges with an undefeated smile and a modest character, is a great leader. We must believe that we can be like those leaders and surpass what life gives us. Believing in ourselves is the greatest challenge. But believing in ourselves can also be our greatest accomplishment.

Fatima Salgado Student John Hancock High School, Chicago June 8, 2012 Read the full speech.

It was easier for me, nearly 50 years ago, than it is for you today, to believe in some basic and unchanging truths, to aspire to a code of conduct that was largely accepted as setting the standard for governing one’s actions, and to hold fast to traditional concepts of integrity and honesty. Fifty years ago, there was something akin to a generally accepted social compact, defining what was expected of people in their personal lives. The lines between right and wrong, between morality and immorality, between acceptable conduct and conduct that was to be condemned, were brighter and clearer and more easily drawn in 1965 than they are in 2012. ... You can accept personal responsibility for your actions and for your life. You do not need to be dependent on others to care for you, to protect you, to provide for you, and most importantly, to make decisions for you. Once you become dependent on others, you will discover that it is the caregiver, not you, who will determine not only how to satisfy your needs but, ultimately, what your needs are. You will sacrifice for perceived security your personal freedom to choose and chart your own course. You must not accept a life of dependency and mediocrity and forgo the opportunity to achieve great things by accepting the challenge of self-reliance.

Victor Ludwig Staunton, Va., Circuit Court Judge; President, Robert E. Lee High School Class of 1965 Robert E. Lee High School, Staunton, Va. June 2, 2012 Read the full speech.

Deputy Commentary Editor Mary-Ellen Phelps Deily contributed to this report. A version of this article appeared in the July 18, 2012 edition of Education Week

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Graduation Speech Examples

Click here to view our wide range of Graduation Speeches   –  downloadable instantly

Our graduation speech examples are a clear indication that we have words for every occasion. Of course these are only individual samples of what you might say whereas when you order from us your will receive at least three different speeches in every set we send. This means that you can use one speech individually or selected passages from the set. Whether you are graduating yourself or addressing graduates our speeches say all that needs to be said on the day. Most sets also have the added bonus of optional poems that will help make your speech even more memorable. So please read our graduation speech examples and see how we can help you make a really impressive speech on a very special day. He is a great example graduation speech from Harvard. It’s one of our favorites.

Please choose a sample speech below!  

Graduation speech by college head, teacher or guest speaker.

This sample graduation speech speaks of the importance of the day and expresses hopes for the future. Such a speech may be given by a Grauate or Student.

Has it ever occurred to you that Graduation day is a bit like looking into a kaleidoscope? It’s full of pictures jumbled together all of which together make up your life. There are the images of your growing years with your family and friends. Then there are the pictures of your student activities, the classmates you met and, finally, the wonderful excitement of today your graduation day. The pictures of your future are very vague because, of course, none of us knows what the future holds.

Today we have the good feel factor that comes from knowing that we have done our best. We have achieved and qualified. We didn’t do it alone of course. All along the way we had the wonderful support of our families and the encouragement and help of our tutors. It’s likely that some of us took this for granted as only our due. Today, though, as mature and newly qualified adults, we recognise that without that back-up we could not have succeeded. So today I know my fellow students would like to join me in saying how much we appreciate all those who have helped make this day possible.

Included in that are our fellow students. They pored over the textbooks with us, drank innumerable cups of coffee with us and exchanged views with us. That is probably what has given us the most important education of all. After all when we enter the working world we will be working with all sorts of people from varying backgrounds and our experience here will tell us this is a good thing, that the world is full of wonderful people with different ideas and talents.

From now on we will be taking our talents and beliefs with us wherever we go .If we have learned anything it is that we have to be adaptable. ready to take chances and go different routes. The day of a job for life is almost gone. These days we have to be ready to update our knowledge, add to our skills and be ready to cope with change.

That’s the challenge before us and it is one that we will all meet in our different ways. Some of us will want to stay at home, others to travel the four corners of the earth. Some will like to work alone while others will want to work in a partnership. Whatever we do our wherever we go we won’t forget today. Hopefully in years to come we will meet up with our friends again at a college re-union. That is, of course something we have to organise so I am sure you will understand that we will have to go out on the town tonight to make our plans.

Finally, I would like to wish my fellow graduates, fellow graduates now that has a nice ring to it doesn’t it? I would like to wish them health and happiness in the future and the satisfaction of knowing that whatever they do they will do it well. After all they are graduates of (Name of college) and that is just another name for the college of excellence.

Today we are throwing our caps in the air Getting ready to go different ways To tackle the world head on my friends And to start on the very first phase Of adult life with all it implies No more running home to mum But making her proud of the lives we lead And showing our dads we’re not dumb. So today as we sit in this great big hall We’d like to give our thanks to you all For being there when we needed you Now it’s our turn to show what we do I don’t know how or why or when But goodbye my friends until we meet again

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Graduation Speech by a Graduate or Valedictorian

This sample graduation speech speaks of the importance of the day and expresses hopes for the future. Such a speech may be given by a Dean or teacher or indeed a visiting speaker.

Graduate Speech Sample

I think Graduation day is a bit like walking a gangplank. You are leaving behind the safety and security of college for the uncertainty and adventure of the rest of your life. Some of you will return to terra firma and resume your studies. The rest of you will pause on that gangplank. Poised over the water below you have no idea what the future will hold, what people you will meet and what will happen to your career.

That is not to say that you do not have your own ideas about that career. You have worked hard while at college and have graduated so you have more than a basic understanding of your subject. You may know exactly what you want to do and, of course, you may realize your dreams. On the other hand life could throw up some surprises and you could find yourself doing something diametrically opposed to what you had planned. So your degree is something like having the security of a lifebelt. It will keep you afloat until you find your own particular niche. In a rapidly changing world you will have to be able to adapt to changing times. You may have to add to your existing qualification or find a new career altogether.

The ship you board may be a luxurious liner or a working vessel. It may bring you around the coast or across the world. You may face fierce storms or have plain sailing and a following wind. You may choose your particular destination or you may just go where the tide brings you. On that ship called life you will find new friends. Some will share your hopes. Others may have their own agenda. Each one will influence you in a different way.

Today I say to you try to be choosy about those friends. It is tempting to befriend those who you feel will help you in your career and of course there is no harm in that. It is good to be willing to keep learning from those who have gone ahead of you. Don’t, however, close your mind to what others may bring to your life to enrich it. That penniless loafer may seem like a good for nothing but be, in reality, a brilliant musician. The plodder may not seem to have much to offer but perhaps he or she will get to the shore before you do. So don’t judge others harshly but do try to choose wisely people who will be good friends to you over the years. Life can be hard and we all need good friends.

Speaking of friends you are leaving some behind today. Over the past few years they have shared your workload, your ambitions and your coffee breaks not to mention your socialising. It is hard to part with them and whatever about the global village the world can be a big place and it’s easy to lose touch. That is why I am suggesting to you that you make concrete arrangements to stay in touch by email or phone. Whatever about the new friends you make there is something special about those who shared your college life and those long talks deep into the night.

Some of you will rush aboard your ship. Others may be more hesitant. Some of you will have plenty of baggage to bring, others will travel lightly. One thing you will all bring is your memories of your growing years and of your families. Today, those who have encouraged you all those years are happy to see you graduate. I know you will agree with me that they are owed a huge dept of gratitude for their support and love. Obviously, judging by your results, you studied hard but you also had help from your tutors and professors. It’s worth mentioning too that a college like this is made up of many different components and many different people. Think, for instance, of the library staff, the canteen staff and those who keep the grounds in such immaculate order. There were many people involved in your graduation and it will be a sign of your maturity that you thank them for their efforts on your behalf. Gratitude to and graciousness towards others will always stand to you in life. We always remember the person who speaks kindly of us so always remember to speak kindly of others too.

Tonight you will be celebrating and quite rightly so. You deserve to have a night on the town. Whether or not your tutors are also celebrating I leave open to you to guess. When tomorrow comes, but obviously not too early in the morning, you can pack for that all important journey. Bring with you the knowledge you have but bring also an open mind. It’s great to have a route planned but be willing to travel the bye ways and to see what they have to offer too. Make a decision that you are going to make a difference in the world, even if it is in one small corner of it. Work hard but do get your priorities right. Always have time for your families and friends. Take time to enjoy the beauties of nature and to care for them because without water and air our planet, and you, cannot survive.

Finally, enjoy the trip. Go on your journey armed with enthusiasm and curiosity. Open your hearts to your fellow passengers and they will surely open theirs to you. I wish you well on your journey and as they say when they launch a ship, “May God bless all who sail in her.”

Here’s to you all as you graduate You’ve studied and have your degrees The world is your oyster and soon you will work At home or perhaps overseas. You’re saying goodbye to tutors and friends And tonight you will party in style And drink champagne and eat cavier And sing and dance for a while. May your ship sail smoothly over the blue And may faraway places they welcome you May the sun shine on you as you go on your way And so as you leave here Bon Voyage I say May your lives be filled with loving and laughter And may you find happiness in your ever after.

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Inspirational Graduation Speech from Nazareth Evangelical College

We are filled with joy as we stand together, offering our most sincere congratulations to the graduating students.

Congratulations!! For the past 4 years we have seen and appreciated your hard work.

Some may wonder about the importance of studying theology, the Bible and ministry with our College.  In answer to that, I have two points:

My first point is that God is holding all things by the word of his power.  He is all mighty; His greatness no one can fathom.  Our God is our creator and our redeemer; forever He isGod over all.

Doesn’t He deserve to be known better?  Shouldn’t the ones who serve Him seek to serve Him more effectively?

Even one who chooses to work as an assistant to a barber must be trained for the position. At the university, you need 4 years for a Bachelor’s degree, 2 or 3 years for a Master’s, and another additional 2 or 3 years for PhD.

And yet, why do some people believe they can serve the Lord without study and preparation?

The Lord Himself trained His disciples for three and a half years.

The leading Universities of the USA began as Christian institutions.  “Harvard” is the name of a pastor, Yale started as a college to train Bible students, and Princeton’s founding motto is: “With God we prosper.”

It’s also the same in the UK: Oxford and Cambridge, and even the oldest university in the world, St. Andrews in Scotland, were all formed for the purpose of training ministers.

My second point is that we need good Bible teachers and ministers.  The world is raising difficult questions. People have opened up to many things and life has gotten complicated.  Atheism is growing and temptations and distractions are arriving from every direction.  The gospel must be delivered honestly and with simplicity.  Its relevance must be demonstrated.  We must address the issues that are driving people away from the Lord and meet them where they are, in the busy rush of their lives.  We need equipped Christian leaders in this world!

Why in this college and why we should support it?

Nazareth Theology College is one of the initiatives of the Baptist Churches Association.  We were formed from the merger of two colleges that came out from our local Evangelical core: The Galilee Bible College was formerly a branch of the Bethlehem Bible College.

In a time when we see a lot of division within the church, the Lord performed a miracle when He brought these two colleges together, desiring that the two should be made one.   Unity is so pleasing to the heart of the Lord. The Lord gave me the privilege to contribute in the integration of these two colleges while I was in the administration board of one of them.

This college is not only the core of our Evangelical lives, but it plays an important role in our society, because it is centered in a local context and is a part of the community.

The Lord has created us as Palestinian Arabs, and has put us in the State of Israel. We have our own language, customs, history and heritage. We rejoice for the joy of our people and we mourn for their grief. How can we serve our people and minister to them, if we don’t love them? And how can we love our people if we do not love their language, customs, traditions and heritage?

We mourn for the killing of the young man Yusuf Abdul Khaliq and we are angry for the demolition of homes in the unrecognized villages. At the same time we rejoice with Hussam Hayek for his scientific discoveries.  We celebrate with Marie Atrash, the swimmer from Beit Sahour and with Haitham Khalayleh the son of Majd al-Krum in Arab Idol.

This college teaches us how to be effective as disciples of the Lord in our own unique context.  We learn how to represent Him as Christian citizens of Israel, seeking to live our faith openly with the Jewish and Muslim majority.

To this end, the college organizes lectures for Christian clergy of all denominations.  We sponsor Jewish-Arab meetings and studies on reconciliation, marriage counseling, and how to become peacemakers in this Arab-Israeli conflict. Every year, we host a peace conference and a leadership conference.

As a leader in the church and a secular servant with full-time officers, let me share three words of advice with our graduates:

1. Keep the vision before you. The fact that you joined the college and studied theology was not a coincidence, but a part of God’s plan for your life. Now go, and find your own calling. It may not necessarily be in the auspices of a Church, but perhaps in a school, an organization or some other place. The Lord may open doors for you to work in one of the usual fields of services or production and you will use what you have learned here in your professional lives. The Lord wants heroes of faith who know Him and will live out their faith in all areas of life.

2. Don’t only share your teaching and your information with your colleagues or students but share your whole life with them.

Pour out your life and share it with your students, just as the Lord Jesus did. He was not only a teacher, but a friend and companion who He shared with His disciples the sweet and difficult times of their lives.

Servants of the Gospel should not work as machines or robots, but as real human beings of flesh and blood who can share their lives with their students. The Christian message should always be at the core of our lives.

3. Do not make this title the last thing you learn. Don’t settle for what you have already reached, but work hard to continue learning and to join other tracks. Hear the call of God for your life and continue to refine it, whether you are called to be a preacher or Bible teacher, or whether you are called for Christian Education, the science of ancient manuscripts, Christian counseling or some other field.

The expansion and growth of the Body of Christ will fill the region of Nazareth and Galilee, as pleasing to the heart of the Lord. Let our local culture (inside and outside the church) be filled with the values of evangelical Christianity, so that the pure aroma of Christ is diffused to everyone around us. Let there be lawyers, engineers, teachers, construction workers, accountants, doctors and nurses who know the Lord and who have received theological training.

Personally, if the Lord is willing, I would like to take a course in the college now, since my wife has just finished her education here.

In closing, I want to mention that we are from Nazareth—the city of Jesus—and that Galilee was His home region. These particular places should honor Him because Jesus chose them precisely among other villages and cities of the earth. The Lord did not choose New York or Moscow, nor Beijing, nor even Rome, Delhi or London, but He chose Nazareth, Bethlehem and Jerusalem.  From this very place, let our lives be a living testimony to His honor. With the training you have received, may God make you into His true and faithful witnesses.

Again— congratulations and keep pressing on!

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Welcome Speech for Graduation Ceremony

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Introduction:

“Good [morning/afternoon/evening], everyone. Honored guests, esteemed faculty, proud parents, and, most importantly, our distinguished graduates. I am [Your Name], [your position, e.g., the Principal, Dean, Class President], and it is my great pleasure to welcome you all to the [Year] Graduation Ceremony of [School/Institution’s Name].”

Acknowledgment of Guests: “First, let us acknowledge and thank our esteemed guests, faculty, and staff who have guided and supported our graduates throughout their educational journey. Your dedication and commitment have been instrumental in shaping the minds and futures of these remarkable individuals.”

Recognition of Parents and Families: “To the parents, families, and friends of our graduates, today is as much a celebration of your efforts as it is of the graduates’. Your unwavering support, sacrifices, and encouragement have played a crucial role in their success. Thank you for being their pillars of strength.”

Congratulating Graduates: “To our graduates, today marks a significant milestone in your lives. You have worked tirelessly, overcome challenges, and persevered to reach this moment. Your hard work, determination, and resilience have brought you here, and you should be incredibly proud of your achievements.”

Reflecting on the Journey: “Throughout your time at [School/Institution’s Name], you have not only gained knowledge but also formed lifelong friendships, developed critical thinking skills, and discovered your passions. These experiences have prepared you to face the future with confidence and courage.”

Encouraging Future Endeavors: “As you step into the next chapter of your lives, remember that education does not end here. Continue to seek knowledge, embrace new challenges, and strive for excellence in everything you do. The world is full of opportunities waiting for you to explore and conquer.”

Expressing Confidence: “We have full confidence that you will carry the values and lessons learned here into the world, making meaningful contributions to society. Whether you are pursuing further education, entering the workforce, or embarking on other adventures, know that you have the tools and the spirit to succeed.”

Conclusion:

Final Words of Inspiration: “Graduates, as you leave this institution, remember that the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. Be bold, be brave, and never stop believing in yourselves. The future is yours to shape.”

Welcome Once Again: “Once again, welcome to the [Year] Graduation Ceremony of [School/Institution’s Name]. Let us celebrate the achievements of our graduates and the bright futures that lie ahead.”

Closing: “Thank you all for being here today. Let’s make this a memorable and joyous celebration. Congratulations to the Class of [Year]!”

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A Commencement Speech for the Class of 2024

College commencement address season regularly delivers controversy alongside the clichés and this year was no exception, with students staging pro-Palestinian demonstrations and Kansas City Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker’s patriarchal, anti-LGBTQ, and antisemitic address  at Benedictine College. As many have noted, many of this year’s college graduates had their 2020 high school graduation ceremonies canceled because of COVID-19.

As a faith leader, I wanted to offer my own reflections to this group of young people who have already faced tremendous challenges in life and yet who have demonstrated their resilience and fierce passion for justice. If you are a graduate or have a close family or friend that is graduating, this message is particularly for you, along with my heartfelt congratulations; I hope it offers some hope and spiritual sustenance in a time of such deep uncertainty. 

For the Class of 2024

Take a deep breath and look around: You made it.

As you exhale, I want to tell you about a song that came out while most of you were just barely out of kindergarten. The song, called “ Overcomer ,” was by Mandisa, an American Idol finalist and gospel artist whose friend was struggling through breast cancer. “You’re an overcomer,” soars the song’s chorus, “Stay in the fight ‘til the final round / You’re not going under / ‘Cause God is holding you right now.”

I share this with you, Class of 2024, because you are overcomers. Your educational lives were upended by the pandemic, yet you demonstrated your resilience, overcoming the challenges of online learning and social distancing to reach this milestone. You dealt with stress, anxiety, isolation, and other mental health challenges in ways no previous generation has faced. Yes, you are already overcomers.

And yet, I also share this song because there’s an important footnote to its history, one that makes the song even more poignant: Though the song — part of a Grammy-winning album — was written to express the singer’s hope that her friend would “overcome” breast cancer, that friend never recovered and eventually died. For Mandisa, the song also became about her own journey through the grief and spiritual doubt she grappled with after her friend’s death. And more recently, it’s been a song many of Mandisa’s fans have turned to following their own grief after Mandisa’s own tragic and unexpected death. In short, it’s a song about overcoming that has had to wrestle with some cold hard facts of life’s uncertainty. Much like you.

Class of 2024, you are indeed overcomers, but you’re also no strangers to grief, doubt, and other emotions we don’t often acknowledge in commencement addresses. As you accept your well-deserved diploma, I don’t need to tell you that you’re graduating in an unsettling time: uncertainty around the most consequential election of your (and my) lifetime, uncertainty around the future of our planet amid an accelerating climate crisis, and uncertainty as to the outcome of horrific and intractable wars in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, and so many other places. You may be uncertain about your job prospects, whether Social Security will remain solvent by the time of your retirement, or whether you will ever be able to afford a home in this overheated housing market. If you’re a Christian, you may feel uncertain about how you can stay in a faith that has so often been distorted from the gospel.

Maybe you’re hoping I’ll offer some words that would keep those feelings of uncertainty at bay, if only for a little while. But I’ve got bad news: Life is just going to keep throwing uncertainty at you.

I say this as a Christian, who trusts deeply that nothing “will be able to separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39) and believes God was telling the truth when God promised “never will I leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5) and to “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). Yet I also know that even with those promises in hand, uncertainty can still be unsettling, anxiety-causing, and despair-inducing.

The best response, I believe, is neither to ignore the uncertainty we face nor allow ourselves to be consumed by it. Instead, we can acknowledge the uncertainty while anchoring ourselves in the personal, communal, and spiritual resources that give us resilience to overcome.

As you commence into this next season of life and career, I want to share three practices that have helped me feel anchored in an ever-changing world — and which I hope will also sustain you.

1. Get to know yourself more deeply

We often advise young people, especially graduates, “to find what you are passionate about, and it won’t feel like work.” And while there’s a kernel of truth in the cliché, I think better advice is: Get to know yourself. I have found incredible guidance in the work of Howard Thurman, a spiritual mentor to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and author of Jesus and the Disinherited . In his 1980 baccalaureate address to Spelman College, Thurman said:

“There is in you something that waits and listens for the sound of the genuine in yourself. Nobody like you has ever been born […] and no one like you will ever be born again — you are the only one […] You are the only you that has ever lived; your idiom is the only idiom of its kind in all the existences, and if you cannot hear the sound of the genuine in you, you will all of your life spend your days on the ends of strings that somebody else pulls […] Cultivate the discipline of listening to the sound of the genuine in yourself.”

For me, this discipline of “listening to the sound of the genuine” in myself has involved the weekly routine of running, where I shut out all of the noise and listen to my own heartbeat as I also commune with God. It doesn’t have to be running; for you it may be a pastime or some other ritual — what matters most is that you prioritize time to listen.

You have likely been the recipient of plenty of advice in this graduation season, both solicited and unsolicited. Seeking counsel from others is important, but equally if not more important is to be able to recognize what brings you alive. This voice will help you discern the deeper purpose, that shapes your sense of vocation. It has taken a lot introspection and self-actualization to get there, but inspired by Bill George’s book Discover Your True North , I’ve fashioned a purpose statement that serves as a compass for my life, which is to run a relay race that spreads ubuntu , an African philosophy summed up as “ I am because we are ,” and builds the beloved community. I encourage you to develop over time your own pithy and memorable statement that captures the essence of your own sense of deeper purpose.

2. Make time to rest

As Audre Lorde famously wrote, “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence, it is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” My advice to you? Remember to rest well. This is advice that I wish I had taken to heart so much earlier in my own life and career. One of the books that made the biggest impact in my early career was Rest in the Storm by pastor Kirk Byron Jones. In it, Jones addresses the danger of overload, often tied to the false belief we are either indispensable or invincible. Jones reminds us that even Jesus took a nap in boat amid the storm while his disciples were panicking (Matthew 8:23-27) and encourages readers to find their own space “in the back of the boat,” which he defines as that “place where we may feel God’s full acceptance and bask in the glorious joy that is life apart from our stiving and straining.”

Rest is not just an act; it’s a commitment to caring for yourself so you can better realize your aspirations and care for others. Rest can take on many forms — though I can certainly attest that sleep is never overrated. It can also mean a silent retreat, regular meditation, deep breathing exercises, and other practices.

3. Imagine a different world … and help build it

Following my own college graduation, I became convinced that how my generation responded to the HIV/AIDS crisis would define my generation. I started an organization called Global Justice to mobilize students to respond to the devastating global crisis, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. At the time, the crisis felt impossible to overcome: Millions of lives were at stake and the cost of life-prolonging treatment was largely beyond reach for most people who needed it. But through tireless activism, a movement led by people living with HIV, students, faith leaders, and others successfully built enough awareness and political will to inspire bold bipartisan leadership, including through passage of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. More than 20 years later, the initiative has saved  25 million lives and played a key role in some nations’ response to COVID.

You have many issues that may define your generation: the growing climate crisis; forging a lasting peace not just in Gaza but in the entire Middle East; the often-hidden crises of loneliness, depression, and suicide; the crisis facing our fragile democracy. Naming these crises can feel overwhelming or even push us to the point of resignation and paralysis. But from my experience, there are always “smooth stones” in our midst.

The idea of smooth stones is a metaphor I and others borrow from the biblical story of David and Goliath (1 Samuel 17), in which David — a shepherd boy — agrees to face the mighty Philistine Goliath in battle. King Saul offers David a sword and armor, but they’re so heavy David removes them. Instead, David uses his sling and finds five smooth stones from a nearby brook. With one stone, David defeats Goliath in battle, knocking him down.

Like David, we often have more of an advantage over what we face than we realize: Instead of using conventional weapons, David reimagines the battlefield according to the unique gifts that God has given him. We can draw on that same kind of sanctified imagination to see beyond our broken reality of what is and see the possibility of what could be. Resist the many forces that seek to stifle and suffocate your imagination, from the never-ending stream of merchandise (and disinformation) served up by algorithms to your own inner feelings of self-doubt, shame, or powerlessness.

More than 25 years ago, at my own graduation ceremony at Emory University, the Dalai Lama offered a commencement address — something that still feels a little surreal. I can still picture his contagious smile and diminutive but powerful stature on the stage. When I went forward to receive an award, the Dalai Lama stood up and bowed directly in front of me. I was both startled and profoundly humbled.

The Dalai Lama shared with us that our degrees alone would not make us successful or even happy. “Education is, I believe, like an instrument,” he said. “Whether that instrument is utilized properly or constructively, or differently, depends on the user.” He continued, noting that, “on the other hand, [being] a good person means [having] a good heart, a sense of caring for others and a sense of commitment, a sense of responsibility,” he said. “If you combine these two” —education and good heart — “your whole life will be constructive and happy, and certainly you can make immense benefits for society.” 

Borrowing from the name of the organization that I lead, I invite you to sojourn, viewing your life and career as a spiritual pilgrimage that continually changes both you and the rest of us. Your passion for humanity, for justice, and for the future of this planet are all desperately needed in this world, right now. Your voice matters and can challenge and transform even the most intractable systems and attitudes. Our communities, our nation, and our world all need you to be bold; we need you to shine brightly and continue to be an overcomer. And as you overcome, combine your education with a good heart so you can build the kind of beloved community in which you and others can truly thrive. 

Rev. Adam Russell Taylor is president of Sojourners and author of  A More Perfect Union: A New Vision for Building the Beloved Community . Follow him on X  @revadamtaylor .

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Morehouse College graduates arrives ahead of a commencement ceremony in Atlanta, Georgia on May 19, 2024. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz

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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500

Remarks by President   Biden at the Morehouse College Class of 2024 Commencement Address | Atlanta,   GA

Morehouse College Atlanta, Georgia

10:29 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you, President Thomas, faculty, staff, alumni.  And a special thanks — I’ll ask all the folks who helped you get here — your mothers, fathers, grandmothers, grandfathers — all those who got you here, all the way in the back, please, parents, grandparents, all who helped, stand up, because we owe you a debt of gratitude.  (Applause.)  To all the family.  And that is not hyperbole.  A lot of you, like my family, had to make significant sacrifices to get your kids to school.  It mattered.  This mattered a lot. And the friends of Morehouse and the Morehouse men of the Class of 2024.  I got more Morehouse men in the White House telling me what to do than I know what to do.  (Laughter.)  You all think I’m kidding, don’t you?  (Laughs.)  You know I’m not.  And it’s the best thing that’s happened to me.

Scripture says, “The prayers of a righteous man availeth much.”  In Augusta, Georgia, a righteous man once enslaved set foot for freedom.  The story goes he feared no evil; he walked through the valley of the shadow of death on his way north to free soil in Philadelphia.  A Baptist minister, he walked with faith in his soul, powering the steps of his feet to glory.  But after the Union won the war, he knew his prayers availed him freedom that was not his alone.  And so, this righteous man, Richard Coulter, returned home, his feet wary, his spirit in no ways tired.  A hundred and fifty-seven years ago — you all know the story, but the rest of the world doesn’t, and it should — in the basement of a Baptist church in Augusta, he and two other ministers, William Jefferson White and Edmund Turney, planted the seeds of something revolutionary — and it was at the time — a school — a school to help formerly enslaved men enter the ministry, where education would be the great equalizer from slavery to freedom — an institution of higher learning that would become Morehouse College.

I don’t know any other college in America that has that tradition and that consequence. To the Class of 2024, you join, as you know, a sacred tradition.  An education makes you free.  And Morehouse education makes you fearless.  (Applause.)  I mean it.  Visionary.  Exceptional.  Congratulations.  You are Morehouse men.  God love you.  (Applause.) 

And, again, I thank your families and your friends who helped you get here, because they made sacrifices for you as well. This graduation day is a day for generations, a day of joy, a day earned, not given.

We gather on this Sunday morning because — if we were in church, perhaps there would be this reflection.  There would be a reflection about resurrection and redemption.  Remember, Jesus was buried on Friday, and it was Sunday — on Sunday he rose again.  But — but we don’t talk enough about Saturday, when the discip- — his disciples felt all hope was lost.  In our lives and the lives of the nation, we have those Saturdays — to bear witness the day before glory, seeing people’s pain and not looking away.  But what work is done on Saturday to move pain to purpose?  How can faith get a man, get a nation through what was to come? 

Here’s what my faith has taught me. 

I was the first Biden to ever graduate from college, taking out loans with my dad and my — all through school to get me there.  My junior year spring break, I fell in love at first sight, literally, with a woman I adored.  I graduated from law school in her hometown, and I got married and took a job at a law firm in my hometown, Wilmington, Delaware.  But then everything changed. 

One of my heroes — and he was my hero — a Baptist minister, a Morehouse man, Dr. Martin Luther King — in April of my law school graduation year, he was murdered. 

My city of Wilmington — and we were a — to our great shame, a slave state, and we were segregated.  Delaware erupted into flames when he was assassinated, literally. 

We’re the only city in America where the National Guard patrolled every street corner for nine full months with drawn bayonets, the longest stretch in any American city since the Civil War.  Dr. le- — Dr. King’s legacy had a profound impact on me and my generation, whether you’re Black or white.  I left the fancy law firm I had just joined and decided to become a public defender and then a county councilman, working to change our state’s politics to embrace the cause of civil rights.  The Democratic Party in Delaware was a Southern Democratic Party at the time.  We wanted to change it to become a Northeastern Democratic Party. 

Then, we were trying to get someone to run for the United States Senate the year Nixon ran.  I was 29 years of age.  I had no notion of running — I love reading about everybody knew I was going to run; I didn’t know I was going to run — (laughter) — when a group of senior members of the Democratic Party came to me.  They couldn’t find anybody to run and said, “You should run.”  Nixon won my state by 60 percent of the vote.  We won by 3,100 votes.  We won by the thinnest of margins but with a broad coalition, including students from the best HBCU in America, Delaware State University.  You guys are good, but — (laughter) — they got me elected.  And you all — you all think I’m kidding.  (Laughter.)  I’m not kidding. But by Christmas, I was a newly elected senator hiring staff in Washington, D.C., when I got a call from the first responders, my fire department in my hometown, that forever altered my life.  They put a young woman first responder on the line to say, “There was an automobile accident.  A tractor-trailer hit your wife’s car while she was Christmas shopping with your three children.”  And she — poor woman, she just blurted out.  She said, “Your wife and daughter are killed” — my 13-month-old daughter — “they’re dead, and your almost three-year-old and four-year-old sons are badly injured.  We’re not sure they’re going to make it, either.”  I rushed from Washington to their bedside.  I wanted to pray, but I was so angry.  I was angry at God.  I was angry at the world.

I had the same pain 43 years later when that four-year-old boy who survived was a grown man and a father himself, laying in another hospital bed at Walter Reed hospital having contracted stage four glioblastoma because he was a year in Iraq as a major — he won the Bronze Star — living next to a burn pit.  Cancer took his last breath. On this walk of life, you can understand — you come to understand that we don’t know where or what fate will bring you or when.  But we also know we don’t walk alone.  When you’ve been a beneficiary of the compassion of your family, your friends, even strangers, you know how much the compassion matters.  I’ve learned there is no easy optimism, but by faith — by faith, we can find redemption. 

I was a single father for five years — 

No man deserves one great love, let alone two.  My youngest brother, who was a hell of an athlete, did a great thing.  He introduced me to a classmate of his and said, “You’ll love her; she doesn’t like politics.”  (Laughter.)  But all kidding aside, until I met Jill, who healed — who healed the family in all the broken places.  Our family became my redemption.  Many of you have gone through similar or worse — and even worse things.  But you lean on others, they lean on you, and together, you keep the faith in a better day tomorrow.  But it’s not easy.

I know four years ago, as some of your speakers have already mentioned, it felt like one of those Saturdays.  

The pandemic robbed you of so much.  Some of you lost loved ones — mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, who were — aren’t able to be here to celebrate with you today — today.  You missed your high school graduation.  You started college just as George Floyd was murdered and there was a reckoning on race. 

It’s natural to wonder if democracy you hear about actually works for you. 

What is democracy if Black men are being killed in the street? 

What is democracy if a trail of broken promises still leave Black — Black communities behind? 

What is democracy if you have to be 10 times better than anyone else to get a fair shot? 

And most of all, what does it mean, as we’ve heard before, to be a Black man who loves his country even if it doesn’t love him back in equal measure?  (Applause.)

When I sit behind the Resolute Desk in the Oval Office, in front of the fireplace across from my — my desk, I have two busts: one of Dr. King and one of Bobby Kennedy.  I often find myself looking at those busts and making decisions.  I ask myself: Are we living up to what we say we are as a nation, to end racism and poverty, to deliver jobs and justice, to restore our leadership in the world?  Then I look down and see the rosary on my wrist that was out of — my late son, he had on him when he w- — died at Walter Reed and I was with him.  And I ask myself: What would he say?  I know the answer because he told me in his last days. 

My son knew the days were numbered.  The last conversation was, “Dad, I’m not afraid, but I’m worried.  I’m worried you’re going to give up when I go.  You’re going to give up.” We have an expression in the Biden family.  When you want someone to know — give you their word, you say, “Look at me.”  He was lying to me — he said, “Look at me, Dad.  Look at me.” 

He said, “Give me your word.  Give me your word as my father that you will not quit, that you will stay engaged.  Promise me, Dad.  Stay engaged.  Promise me.  Promise me.” I wrote a book called “Promise Me, Dad,” not for the public at large, although a lot of people would end up buying it.  It’s for my grandchildren and great-grandchildren to know who Beau Biden was. 

The rosary on the — my wrist, the bust in my office remind me that faith asks you to hold on to hope, to move heaven and earth to make better days.  Well, that’s my commitment to you: to show you democracy, democracy, democracy is still the way.

If Black men are being killed on the streets, we bear witness.  For me, that means to call out the poison of white supremacy, to root out systemic racism. 

I stood up for George — with George Floyd’s family to help create a country where you don’t need to have that talk with your son or grandson as they get pulled over.

Instead of a trail of broken promises, we’re investing more money than ever in Black families and Black communities.  We’re reconnecting Black neighborhoods cut off by old highways and decades of disinvestment where no one cared about the community. 

We’ve delivered checks in pockets to reduce child — Black child poverty to the lowest rate in history.  We’re removing every lead pipe in America so every child can drink clean water without fear of brain damage, and then can’t afford to remove the lead pipes themselves. 

We’re delivering affordable high-speed Internet so no child has to sit in their parents’ car or do their homework in a parking lot outside of McDonald’s.

Instead of forcing you to prove you’re 10 times better, we’re breaking down doors so you have 100 times more opportunities: good-paying jobs you can raise a family on in your neighborhood — (applause); capital to start small business and loans to buy homes; health insurance, prescriptions drugs, housing that’s more affordable and accessible.

I’ve walked the picket line and defended the rights of workers.  I’m relieving the burden of student debt — many of you have already had the benefit of it — (applause) — so I [you] can chase your dreams and grow the economy.  When the Supreme Court told me I couldn’t, I found two other ways to do it.  (Applause.)  And we were able to do it, because it grows the economy.  And I — in addition to the original $7 billion investment in HBCUs, I’m investing 16 billion  more dollars — (applause) — more in our history, because you’re vital to our nation.  Most HBCUs don’t have the endowments.  The jobs of the future require sophisticated laboratories, sophisticated oppor- — opportunity on campus.  We’re opening doors so you can walk into a life of generational wealth, to be providers and leaders for your families and communities.  Today, record numbers of Black Americans have jobs, health insurance, and more [wealth] than ever.

Democracy is also about hearing and heeding your generation’s call to a community free of gun violence and a planet free of climate crisis and showing your power to change the world.

But I also know some of you ask: What is democracy if we can’t stop wars that break out and break our hearts?

In a democracy, we debate and dissent about America’s role in the world. 

I want to say this very clearly.  I support peaceful, nonviolent protest.  Your voices should be heard, and I promise you I hear them.  I determined to make my c- — my administration look like America.  I have more African Americans in high places, including on the Court, than any president in American history — (applause) — because I need the input. What’s happening in Gaza and Israel is heartbreaking.  Hamas’s vicious attack on Israel, killing innocent lives and holding people hostage.  I was there nine days after, s- — pictures of tying a mother and a daughter with a rope, pouring kerosene on them, burning them and watching as they died.  Innocent Palestinians caught in the middle of all this: men, women, and children killed or displaced in despite — in desperate need of water, food, and medicine.  It’s a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.  That’s why I’ve called for an immediate ceasefire — an immediate ceasefire to stop the fighting — (applause) — bring the hostages home.  And I’ve been working on a deal as we speak, working around the clock to lead an international effort to get more aid into Gaza, rebuild Gaza.   I’m also working around the clock for more than just one ceasefire.  I’m working to bring the region together.  I’m working to build a lasting, durable peace.  Because the question is, as you see what’s going on in Israel today: What after?  What after Hamas?  What happens then?  What happens in Gaza?  What rights do the Palestinian people have?  I’m working to make sure we finally get a two-state solution — the only solution — (applause) — for two people to live in peace, security, and dignity.  This is one of the hardest, most complicated problems in the world.  And there’s nothing easy about it.  I know it angered and frustrates many of you, including my family.  But most of all, I know it breaks your heart.  It breaks mine as well.  Leadership is about fighting through the most intractable problems.  It’s about challenging anger, frustration, and heartbreak to find a solution.  It’s about doing what you believe is right, even when it’s hard and lonely. You’re all future leaders, every one of you graduating today.  And that’s not hyperbole.  You’re future leaders, all of you.  You’ll face complicated, tough moments.  In these moments, you’ll listen to others, but you’ll have to decide, guided by knowledge, conviction, principle, and your own moral compass.

And the desire to know what freedom is, what it can be is the heart and soul of why this college was founded in the first place, proving that a free nation is born in the hearts of men spellbound by freedom.  But the — that’s the magic of Morehouse.  That’s the magic of America.

But let’s be clear what happens to you and your family when old ghosts in new garments seize power, extremists come for the freedoms you thought belonged to you and everyone. 

Today in Georgia, they won’t allow water to be available to you while you wait in line to vote in an election.  What in the hell is that all about?  (Applause.)  I’m serious.  Think about it.  And then the constant attacks on Black election workers who count your vote.

Insurrectionists who storm the Capitol with Confederate flags are called “patriots” by some.  Not in my house.  (Applause.)  Black police officers, Black veterans protecting the Capitol were called another word, as you’ll recall. 

They also say out loud, these other groups, immigrants “poison the blood” of our country, like the Grand Wizard and fascists said in the past.  But you know and I know we all bleed the same color.  In America, we’re all created equal.  (Applause.)

Extremists close the doors of opportunity; strike down affirmative action; attack the values of diversity, equality, and inclusion. 

I never thought when I was graduating in 1968 — as your honoree just was — we talked about — I never thought I’d be in — present in a time when there’s a national effort to ban books — not to write history but to erase history.  They don’t see you in the future of America.  But they’re wrong.  To me, we make history, not erase it.  We know Black history is American history.  (Applause.)  Many of you graduates don’t know me, but check my record, you’ll know what I’m saying I mean from my gut. 

And we know Black men are going to help us, lead us to the future — Black men from this class, in this university.  (Applause.)  

But, graduates, this is what we’re up against: extremist forces aligned against the meaning and message of Morehouse.  And they peddle a fiction, a caricature what being a man is about — tough talk, abusing power, bigotry.  Their idea of being a man is toxic.  I ran into them all the time when I was younger.  They got — all right, I don’t want to get started.  (Laughter.)  But that’s not you.  It’s not us.  You all know and demonstrate what it really means to be a man.  Being a man is about the strength of respect and dignity.  It’s about showing up because it’s too late if you have to ask.  It’s about giving hate no safe harbor and leaving no one behind and defending freedoms.  It’s about standing up to the abuse of power, whether physical, economic, or psychological.  It’s about knowing faith without works is dead.  (Applause.)

Look — and you’re doing the work.  Today, I look out at all you graduates and I see the next generation of Morehouse men who are doctors and researchers curing cancer; artists shaping our culture; fearless journalists and intellectuals challenging convention.  I see preachers and advocates who might even join another Morehouse man in the United States Senate.  You can clap for him.  He’s a good man.  (Applause.) 

As I said, I’m proud to have the most diverse administration in history to tap into the full talents of our nation.  I’m also proud of putting the first Black woman on the United States Supreme Court.  (Applause.)  And I have no doubt, one day a Morehouse man will be on that Court as well.  (Applause.)  You know it.

I’ve been vice president to the first Black president and become my close friend and president to the first woman vice president.  (Applause.)  Wh- — I have no idea — no doubt that a Morehouse man will be president one day, just after an AKA from Howard.  (Laughter and applause.)  She’s tough, guys.  (Laughter.)

Look, let me close with this.  I know I don’t look like I’ve been around very long.  (Laughter.)  (The President makes the sign of the cross.)  But in my career, for the first 30 years, I was told, “You’re too young, kid.”  They used to stop me from getting on the Senate elevator when I first got there, for real.  Now, I’m too old.  Whether you’re young or old, I know what endures: The strength and wisdom of faith endures.  And I hope — my hope for you is — my challenge to you is that you still keep the faith so long as you can.  That cap on your head proves you’ve earned your crown.  The question is now, 25 years from now, 50 years from now, when you’re asked to stand and address the next generation of Morehouse men, what will you say you did with that power you’ve earned?  What will you say you’ve done for your family, for your community, your country when it mattered most?  I know what we can do.  Together, we’re capable of building a democracy worthy of our dreams; a future where every — even more of your brothers and sisters can follow their dreams; a boundless future where your legacies lift us up t- — so those who follow; a bigger, brighter future that proves the American Dream is big enough for everyone to succeed.

Class of 2024, four years ago, it felt probably like Saturday.  Four years later, you made it to Sunday, to commencement, to the beginning.  And with faith and determination, you can push the sun above the horizon once more.  You can reveal a light hope — and that’s not — I’m not kidding — for yourself and for your nation.  “The prayers of a righteous man availeth much.”  A righteous man.  A good man.  A Morehouse man.  God bless you all.  We’re expecting a lot from you. Thank you.  (Applause.)

10:55 A.M. EDT

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Choose bravely, Ressa tells Harvard grads

Shruthi Kumar, Robert Clinton, and Blake Alexander Lopez.

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Bridging social distance, embracing uncertainty, fighting for equity

Harvard Staff Writer

Student Commencement speeches to tap into themes faced by Class of 2024

Part of the Commencement 2024 series

A collection of stories covering Harvard University’s 373rd Commencement.

Three graduating students selected in a University-wide competition will deliver speeches Thursday at Tercentenary Theatre as part of the one of the oldest traditions of Commencement.

The student orators are Blake Alexander Lopez, a senior from the College who will deliver the Latin Salutatory; Shruthi Kumar, also a College senior, who will deliver the Senior English Address; and Robert Clinton, J.D. ’24, a Harvard Law School graduate who will deliver the Graduate English Address.

Overcoming those 6 feet of separation

Blake Alexander Lopez Undergraduate Latin  

When Lopez arrived on campus in the fall of 2020, six months into the COVID pandemic, first-year students could live in dorms, but they had to attend classes online and keep social distance as part of public health guidelines to slow the spread of the virus.

A joint classical languages and literature and linguistics concentrator with a secondary field in medieval studies, Lopez will address “that sort of nearer distance that we found ourselves within” in the Latin oration he will deliver during the Morning Exercises of Commencement.

“Being a student on campus in the fall of 2020 felt like we were in the proximity of all these things we had so long dreamed about, and yet there was an inherent separation between us,” said Lopez, a Kirkland House resident. “We were physically rather close, living in rooms next to each other and seeing each other on our computer screens because we had to stay socially distant.”

But as the pandemic eased its grip, members of the Class of 2024 returned to normal life and built closer relationships with one another. Celebrating graduation in person and together is a reason to celebrate, said Lopez.

“What I would like the audience to take away from my speech is that whatever difficulties were posed to us, we were able to meet them, adapt and exhibit a resilience that allowed us to thrive,” said Lopez. “There is so much our class has to be proud of, in view of what we faced. It is because what we faced, we faced together.”

Lopez, who fell in love with Latin in high school, said the language will serve him well to talk about both separation and closeness. Latin is considered a dead language because there are no native speakers. During his speech, subtitles will appear on screens in the Yard, and an English translation will be included in the program flyer.

“There’s a layer of separation between the reader of the speech’s English translation and myself delivering it in Latin,” said Lopez, who grew up in Chicago. “But being able to communicate my ideas and the feelings behind them across the linguistic boundary is reflective in a lot of ways of the fact that in spite of the barriers separating the Class of 2024 when we first arrived on campus, we were able to traverse that distance.”

At Harvard, Lopez strengthened his love of Latin and the classics. His senior thesis focused in part on ancient graffiti inscriptions found in Pompeii, which include jokes, riddles, literary quotations, and the customary “I was here.” The subject fascinates him because it provides a glimpse into the intimate relationship between Latin and the way common people made use of it.

After graduation, Lopez will pursue a master’s degree in classics at Oxford University. For now, he cherishes the fact that he was able to realize the dream he started nurturing when he was applying to Harvard.

“The fact that hundreds of years going on, we still do a Latin oration at Commencement really captivated me,” said Lopez. “I would sort of daydream about it. I’d like to go back to 17-year-old me and tell him, ‘Hey, we did it.’ Or as they’d say in Latin, ‘Vicimus.’ ”

The power of not knowing

Shruthi Kumar Undergraduate English

Kumar’s speech explores a subject she knows all too well.

Coming to Harvard as a pre-med student, Kumar took a history of science class on health disparities in the U.S., and she had a change of heart.

By embracing uncertainty, she found her passion for public health. “I didn’t know something like history of science existed,” said Kumar, a joint history of science and economics concentrator with a secondary in human evolutionary biology. “But I fell in love with that class, and I realized that history of science was what I really wanted to study to find ways to address the world’s biggest health problems.”

A Mather House resident, Kumar is glad she took risks during her time at Harvard and challenged societal and parental expectations when she switched pre-med studies for classes on health inequities and public health issues. In hindsight, Kumar said her decision made sense. After all, she had been interested in public health since high school, when she was involved in a mental health education program for youth.

In College, Kumar started a campaign to ensure that all Harvard bathrooms supply free menstrual products. Thanks to her advocacy, 817 bathrooms across the University are fully stocked with free tampons and sanitary pads on a regular basis.

Navigating the uncertainty of choosing a new career concentration could be nerve-racking, but Kumar found strength when she decided to follow her inner voice. “You’re supposed to make money, you’re supposed to have a family, you’re supposed to do this, that, or the other,” she said. “But at the end of the day, I think we owe it to ourselves to listen to that voice inside that tells us, ‘Oh, this is what I’m passionate about.’”

Kumar is confident her message will resonate with the Class of 2024, which started their first year amid the uncertainty of the pandemic. “There is a lot you don’t know in your first year, and on top of that, there was COVID,” said Kumar, who grew up in Omaha, Nebraska. “Our class had to grapple with not knowing what was going to happen in the next few years of our College experience. … We have gone through College with this chaos, and we have developed a strength to deal with uncertainty, and that’s what makes us powerful.”

The power of not knowing can be revelatory, said Kumar. After graduation, she will work on public health entrepreneurship and after that, she plans to attend law school or pursue a Ph.D.

“We are all people walking through the world, not really knowing what’s going to happen,” Kumar said. “But the power of not knowing is about how you can turn that space of fear and anxiety into something that is empowering, uplifting, and exciting. It’s a conscious shift that you must make pretty much all the time every day.”

‘Working hard’ vs. ‘doing good’

Robert Clinton Graduate English

Growing up in Richmond, California, in an African American middle-class family, Clinton felt the call to public service early on. He is not sure where it came from, but he believes that both being the child of civil servants and being Black in the U.S. may have contributed to his commitment to the common good.

In his Commencement speech, Clinton will urge students to use their privilege and power to better the lives of fellow citizens and create a more equitable society. Privilege comes with social responsibility, he said.

“Some people who graduate from Harvard are going to be presidents or senators, but most people are going to be managers, professors, and even if they are not at the very top, they will still have a lot of power,” said Clinton. “We will be people with good jobs because we went to Harvard. And that means that we must be on the lookout for opportunities to help people.”

Harvard graduates should put their education to good use, said Clinton, who found inspiration in the work of actor and activist Harry Belafonte, who used his fame to support the Civil Rights struggle. Clinton was also stirred by the words of a Law School professor who exhorted students to find something bigger than themselves and be part of it.

“There’s a difference between working hard and doing good,”he said. “People here know how to work really hard, but working hard doesn’t necessarily mean that you’re making the world better or doing your part.”

Before coming to the Law School, Clinton worked for the city of San Francisco in the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs. But he began thinking seriously about the law when he became involved with efforts to remove a citizenship question from the 2020 U.S. Census questionnaire. A coalition of immigrant groups challenged former President Donald Trump’s administration before the Supreme Court, which ruled in favor of the petitioners.

“I got to see how lawyers can use the law to help people and to hold people accountable,” Clinton said. “It was really inspiring.”

After graduation, Clinton will clerk for Judge Dale Ho of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. By coincidence, Ho was the lawyer representing the immigrant groups that challenged Trump’s plan to include the citizenship question on the 2020 Census. Clinton is elated over that twist of fate.

“It was the first legal case that I followed from beginning to end,” said Clinton. “I read the briefs even though I didn’t know what they meant, I listened to the oral argument, and I was shocked when against all the odds, they won the case.

“And it just so happens that Judge Ho is going to be my first boss after law school. I joked with him in the interview that he was one of the reasons why I went to Law School. It feels like a wonderful full-circle moment.”

Also in this series:

One journey behind them, grads pause to reflect before starting the next

Nobel Peace Prize-winning journalist puts values first in Commencement address focused on threats to democracy

‘Be that voice for compassion, learning, understanding, and unity’

Burns and others deliver call to action – and empathy – at Class Day ceremonies

Six receive honorary degrees

Harvard recognizes educator, conductor, theoretical physicist, advocate for elderly, writer, and Nobel laureate

A joyful noise

Ringing of bells marks 373rd Commencement

Ready to serve

New officers ‘join a long crimson line that goes back to the very founding of this country.’

Harvard awards 9,262 degrees

Totals reflect the 2023-24 academic year

Time to stand up, defend American higher education, Faust says

President emerita invokes spirit of Emerson, pushes back against recent criticisms

Maria Ressa will speak her troubled mind

‘Democracy dies quickly,’ warns Nobel laureate ahead of Commencement, where she hopes to find students committed to protecting it

‘Seek inspiration in one another’

Garber praises graduates’ resilience, urges them to maintain and cherish lasting bonds

‘I haven’t really had a proper weekend in a long time’

Longtime supporter of grads Kathy Hanley caps 13-year quest with a Commencement of her own

Party like it’s 2020

Class of ’24 gets a do-over on high school prom that pandemic took away

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Biden delivers Morehouse commencement speech as some on campus express pro-Palestinian messages

ATLANTA — President Joe Biden delivered the commencement address at Morehouse College on Sunday morning, his most direct engagement with college students since the start of the Israel-Hamas war and a key opportunity for him to engage with a group of voters that data suggests is softening on him: young, Black men.

In his remarks, Biden ticked through his administration's policies that he said have aided Black Americans, including a record $16 billion in new aid for historically Black colleges and universities.

And, in a nod to the pro-Palestinian sentiment among Morehouse students and faculty, Biden reiterated his calls for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, more humanitarian aid in the region and support for a two-state solution that would lead to the creation of a Palestinian state.

“We’ve been working on a deal as we speak. Working around the clock to lead an international effort to get more aid into Gaza, rebuild Gaza. I’m also working around the clock for more than just one cease-fire. I’m working to bring the region together. Working to build a lasting, durable peace,” he said.

As Biden spoke, roughly six students in the crowd sat turned away from him. Though Biden did not reference the action directly, his remarks touched on the “anger and frustration” felt by many Americans over the war, including by members of his own family.

“I know it breaks your heart. It breaks mine as well,” Biden said. “Leadership is about fighting through the most intractable problems. It’s about challenging anger, frustration and heartbreak. To find a solution. It’s about doing what you believe is right, even when it’s hard and lonely.”

Following the speech, Morehouse President David Thomas praised Biden for a “thought-provoking speech” he said was reflective of the president “listening.”

“You spoke to the hard issues confronting our nation and the world at this moment,” Thomas said before conferring an honorary doctorate degree onto Biden.

No significant, disruptive protests materialized, but some students and faculty members still expressed their support for Gaza during the ceremony.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations began even before Biden took the stage Sunday morning. As graduates and faculty entered the ceremony, at least eight students and three staff members wore pro-Palestinian garb, some adorned in Palestinian flags and others wearing keffiyeh scarves.

An opening prayer by the Rev. Claybon Lea Jr. urged those in power to be “accountable for valuing human life” across the globe.

“Whether they live in Israel or Palestine, Ukraine or Russia, the Congo or Haiti, God give us men that will value life and call us to accountability. Give us men who require all of us to live the golden rule and even follow the edicts of that Palestinian Jew named Jesus,” Lea said as Biden sat inches behind him.

In the most direct call to action of the ceremony, valedictorian DeAngelo Jeremiah Fletcher concluded his remarks by calling for an immediate cease-fire in Gaza, framing his decision to speak on the conflict as a moral duty in line with the legacy of fellow Morehouse alumnus Martin Luther King Jr.

“It is important to recognize that both sides have suffered heavy casualties in the wake of Oct. 7,” Fletcher said. “From the comfort of our homes, we watch an unprecedented number of civilians mourn the loss of men, women and children while calling for a release of all hostages. For the first time in our lives, we’ve heard the global community sing one harmonious song that transcends language and culture. It is my stance as a Morehouse man named as a human being to call for an immediate and a permanent cease-fire in the Gaza Strip.”

As Biden took the stage, graduating students remained seated and silent, even as older alumni nearby cheered.

And during his remarks, faculty member Samuel Livingston held up the flag of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in an effort to bring attention to ongoing conflict in the region.

Sebastian Gordon, a graduating senior from Washington, D.C., was satisfied with Biden's remarks. “I know one concern that my class had was actions and words didn’t line up,” Gordon told NBC News. “I’m happy with his words that he said. I’m just going to continue to watch to make sure his actions line up with that.”

The protests during the commencement were largely peaceful, following instructions Thomas, the school president, gave to faculty and students across at least three meetings: The right to protest would be honored as long as they’re not disruptive.

Ahead of the commencement, Thomas told CNN that though he would not ask police to intervene should protests occur during Biden’s remarks, he would immediately bring the commencement to a halt.

“I have also made a decision that we will also not ask police to take individuals out of commencement in zip ties. If faced with the choice, I will cease the ceremonies on the spot if we were to reach that position,” Thomas said.

Even the most vocal student protesters at Morehouse predicted that protests during the commencement ceremony would likely not be disruptive, partially due to the volatility a police response would likely incite.

“I think that whatever happens on Sunday on the part of the people and the people who want to see some change is going to be peaceful,” sophomore Anwar Karim said. “I don’t see it erupting like it has at some of the other campuses, because we at HBCUs here are also just mindful of the fact of how interactions with police often go.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Friday that Biden spent several days working on the speech, tapping into a brain trust of senior advisers, including some Morehouse alums, to craft his message to the 415 Black men graduating from the school.

Biden previewed the tone of his remarks during a speech Thursday to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision.

“Morehouse was founded after our nation’s Civil War to help prepare Black Americans who were formerly enslaved to enter the ministry, earn an education and usher them from slavery to freedom,” Biden said before announcing $16 billion in new investments for historically Black colleges and universities. “The founders of Morehouse understood something fundamental. Education is linked to freedom. Because to be free means to have something that no one can ever take away from you.”

Biden’s speech at Morehouse came against the backdrop of protests on college campuses nationwide over his handling over the war in Gaza, with many students and faculty members voicing opposition to the White House’s continued financial and military support for Israel. Some at Morehouse hoped Biden would speak directly to those concerns during his commencement remarks.

“I hope that we don’t get boilerplate language. I hope that we get something we haven’t heard before. I hope that his ethical, moral conscience trump any politics,” Morehouse professor Stephane Dunn said at a protest Friday.

Morehouse has also had pro-Palestinian protests on campus, though the HBCU did not see the same scale or escalation of demonstrations as some larger universities.

The school’s decision to host Biden as commencement speaker and award him an honorary doctorate degree almost immediately sparked protests among faculty and students, some continuing into the days leading up to the commencement ceremony.

“This is one big distraction on a day to celebrate the class of 2024 following Covid-19, but this is also an opportunity for students to make their voices heard during a time of increasing war and genocide in the Middle East,” Morehouse senior Calvin Bell said in reaction to Biden’s visit.

“We as students, faculty and alums who are standing on the right side of history do not stand with Biden,” Karim said. “We do not align ourselves with all of the clear and avid support that he’s had for a genocidal campaign on the part of the Israelis for the last over 200-plus days.”

Most recently, Morehouse faculty were split over the decision to award Biden an honorary doctorate degree at the ceremony. A letter circulated among staff members in protest of the decision got more that two dozen signatures in support, and the vote to award the degree passed 50-38, with roughly 12 faculty members abstaining.

The White House deployed its allies to Morehouse, both formally and informally, to assuage concerns and lower tensions over Biden’s visit.

Steve Benjamin, who heads the White House Office of Public Engagement, met with a small group of Morehouse students and faculty this month following a push from the school’s leadership for “direct engagement” from the White House.

During the meeting, some students expressed concerns about Biden overshadowing their graduation, while others implored Benjamin to ensure Biden’s speech doesn’t double as a campaign stump speech — frustrated with the idea of the commencement address being a vehicle for Biden to bolster support among Black voters.

That sentiment was shared by other Morehouse students critical of Biden’s visit.

“I don’t think it’s a coincidence that he only accepted the invitation after Trump was already in [Atlanta’s] West End, trying to make gains and failing to make gains with our students here,” Morehouse student Malik Poole said at a campus protest ahead of Biden’s visit. “And this is coming at a time where voters of color are fleeing from Biden at record pace.”

But still, Biden’s Morehouse visit came amid a concerted effort by his administration and campaign in the past week to sharpen his message to Black voters .

On Thursday, Biden met with plaintiffs and their family members from the historic Brown v. Board of Education case. The following day, he met with leaders of the Divine Nine, a group of historically Black sororities and fraternities, alongside Vice President Kamala Harris, a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority herself. During his trip to Georgia, Biden attended an event Saturday focused on engaging Black voters. And following his commencement address, Biden will close out the weekend by delivering the keynote address at the NAACP Freedom Fund dinner in Detroit, where he plans to tout his administration’s accomplishments for Black Americans.

As data suggests that Black voters — particularly young Black voters — are souring on Biden, some at Morehouse recognized the “opportunity” Biden had to make his case to members of that voting bloc during his address.

“If you want ... these students to vote in the fall for you, you have to give them something that shows that you are hearing them,” Dunn said. “That you are trying to do something we haven’t heard about. This is the opportunity.”

Nnamdi Egwuonwu is a 2024 NBC News campaign embed.