best graduation speeches transcripts

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

• Inner voice
• Embrace failure
• Remember history
• Don't give up
• Fight for equality
• Change the world

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Aaron Sorkin

Syracuse University

Abigail Washburn

Colorado College

Adam Savage

Sarah Lawrence College

Adrienne Rich

Douglass College

Ahmed Zewail

University of Tennessee

Connecticut College

Alexander Solzhenitsyn

Harvard University

Alexis Ohanian

Carthage College

Alice Greenwald

Amy poehler, anderson cooper.

Tulane University

Andrew Young

Andy samberg, angela ahrendts.

Ball State University

Angela Davis

Pitzer College

Anita L. DeFrantz

Anna quindlen.

Villanova University

Anne Lamott

University of California, Berkeley

Anne-Marie Slaughter

Tufts University

Anthony Corvino

Binghamton University

Ari Weinzweig and Paul Saginaw

University of Michigan

Arianna Huffington

Smith College

Vassar College

Arnold Schwarzenegger

University of Southern California

Art Buchwald

Atul gawande.

Williams College

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Barack Obama

Arizona State University

Barbara Bush

Wellesley College

Barbara Kingsolver

Duke University

Barnabas Binney

Rhode Island College (Brown University)

Barney Frank

Ben bernanke.

Princeton University

Benjamin Carson Jr.

Niagara University

Benno Schmidt Sr.

University of Missouri

Bernard Harris

Worcester Polytechnic Institute

Bill Clinton

Yale University

New York University

Bill Watterson

Kenyon College

Billie Jean King

University of Massachusetts

Billy Collins

Berklee College of Music

Babson College

Auburn University

Bobby Knight

Trine University

University of Pennsylvania

Bradley Whitford

University of Wisconsin

Brian J. Dyson

Georgia Tech

Brian Kenny

Ohio Northern University

Callie Khouri

Sweet Briar College

Candy Crowley

Maharishi University

Drexel University

Carl Schramm

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Carly Fiorina

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Carrie Chapman Catt

Charles w. colson.

Geneva College

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Chris gardner, chris matthews.

Fordham University

Chris Sacca

University of Minnesota

Chris Waddell

Middlebury College

Chuck Norris

Liberty University

Clayborne Carson

Colin powell.

Northeastern University

Conan O’Brien

Dartmouth College

Cornel West

Wesleyan University

Cory Booker

Cynthia enloe.

Stanford University

Daniel S. Goldin

David broder.

Kalamazoo College

David Brooks

Wake Forest University

Rice University

Sewanee: The University of the South

David Byrne

Columbia University

University of California, Berkeley, Graduate School of Journalism

University of New Hampshire

David Foster Wallace

David l. calhoun.

Virginia Tech

David McCullough Jr.

Wellesley High School

David Remnick

David woodle, dennis lehane.

Eckerd College

Denzel Washington

Dillard University

Dolly Parton

Doug marlette.

Durham Academy

Douglas Smith

DeVry University

Loyola University

Drew Houston

Dwight eisenhower, earl bakken.

University of Hawaii

Knox College

Cornell University

University of Virginia

Edward O. Wilson

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Edward W. Brooke

Elias a. zerhouni, elie wiesel, ellen degeneres, emir kamenica.

University of Chicago, Booth School of Business

Eric Greitens

Whitman College

Estelle Parsons

Eugene mirman.

Lexington High School

Fareed Zakaria

Bates College

Francine du Plessix Gray

Barnard College

Frank McCourt

Franklin d. roosevelt.

Oglethorpe University

Fred Armisen

Oregon Episcopal School

Fred Rogers

Gabrielle giffords.

Scripps College

Gary Malkowski

Gallaudet University

George C. Marshall

George plimpton, george saunders, george w. bush.

Calvin College

Gerald Ford

Chicago State University

Gloria Steinem

Greil marcus.

School of Visual Arts

Guido Calabresi

Guy kawasaki, gwendolyn brooks.

University of Vermont

Marquette University

Henry A. Wallace

Howard gordon.

Goucher College

J.K. Rowling

Jaclyn rossi, james b. angell, james bryce, james carville.

Hobart and William Smith Colleges

Jamie Hyneman

Janet napolitano, janet yellen.

USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism

Jason Kilar

Emerson College

Jean Andrews

University of Texas, Austin

Jefferson Smith

University of Oregon

Jeffrey Sachs

Jennie cyran, jennifer lee, jerry zucker, jessica lange, jill abramson.

Maharishi University of Management

Jimmy Iovine

Jimmy tingle, joan didion.

University of California, Riverside

Jodie Foster

Joe plumeri.

College of William and Mary

John F. Kennedy

American University

John F. Kerry

Butler University

John Jacob Scherer

Roanoke College

John Legend

Kean University

John Mackey

Bentley College

John McCain

John roberts, john seely brown.

Wheaton College

Jon Stewart

Jonathan safran foer, jonathon youshaei.

Deerfield High School

Joseph Brodsky

Joss whedon, julia keller.

Dominican University

Julianna Margulies

Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Kati Marton

Central European University

Katie Couric

Georgetown University

Kermit the Frog

Southampton College

Kirk Schneider

San Francisco State University

Kurt Vonnegut

Agnes Scott College

Larry Lucchino

Boston University

Florida State University

Leonard A. Lauder

Lewis black.

University of California, San Diego

Lewis Lapham

St. John’s College

Lisa Kudrow

Louis b. susman, lyndon baines johnson.

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor

Madeleine Albright

Madeleine l’engle, makoto fujimura.

Belhaven University

Margaret Atwood

University of Toronto

Margaret J. Geller

Margaret spellings.

Montgomery College

Maria Shriver

Marian fontana.

Massachusetts School of Law

Marissa Mayer

Illinois Institute of Technology

Mark S. Lewis

Marlee matlin.

Wilkes University

Martha Nussbaum

Martin marty.

Eastern Mennonite University

Martin Scorsese

New York University Tisch School of the Arts

Marvin Bell

Northwest Institute of Literary Arts

Mary Robinson

Maya rudolph, meg greenfield.

West Chester University of Pennsylvania

Melissa Harris-Perry

Meredith monk, meredith vieira, meryl streep, michael bloomberg.

University of North Carolina

Michael Dell

Michael ignatieff, michael j. burry.

University of California, Los Angeles

Michael Lewis

Michael oren.

Brandeis University

Michael Uslan

Indiana University

Michelle Obama

Spelman College

Mike Tomlin

Saint Vincent College

Mindy Kaling

Harvard Law School

Mother Teresa

Muriel siebert.

Case Western Reserve University

Natalie Portman

Neil gaiman.

The University of the Arts

University of Mary Washington

Neil deGrasse Tyson

University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Njabulo S. Ndebele

Nora ephron, omid kordestani.

San Jose State University

Oprah Winfrey

Howard University

Patricia McGowan Wald

Paul glaser, paul hawken.

University of Portland

Peter Dinklage

Bennington College

Phil Rosenthal

Hofstra University

Porochista Khakpour

Desert Academy

Rachel Maddow

Rahm emanuel.

George Washington University

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Randy pausch.

Carnegie Mellon University

Ray Bradbury

Edwin O. Smith High School

Rev. David O’Connell

Rev. dennis h. holtschneider, rev. joseph l. levesque, richard costolo, richard feynman, richard russo.

Colby College

Robert Ballard

Robert krulwich, robert m. gates.

University of Georgia

Robert Pinsky

Robert rodriguez, roger goodell.

University of Massachusetts Lowell

Roger Rosenblatt

Brigham Young University

Ron Suskind

Lewis & Clark College

Ronald Reagan

Eureka College

Ronan Farrow

Dominican University of California

Russell Baker

Ruth westheimer.

Trinity College

Salman Rushdie

Bard College

Sandra Soto

University of Arizona

Sanjay Gupta

Seamus heaney, sean lebowitz, sergio marchionne.

University of Toledo

Seth MacFarlane

Sharyn alfonsi.

University of Mississippi

Sheryl Sandberg

City Colleges of Chicago

Soledad O’Brien

University of Delaware

Stephen Colbert

Northwestern University

Stephen King

Stephen r. kellert.

University of Western Sydney, Australia

Steve Ballmer

Steve blank.

Philadelphia University

Sue Monk Kidd

Sumner redstone, susan sontag, sutton foster, suzan-lori parks.

Mount Holyoke College

Terry Gross

Bryn Mawr College

Terry Teachout

Hamilton Holt School

Theodor ‘Dr. Seuss’ Geisel

Lake Forest College

Thomas L. Friedman

Tiffany shlain, tim minchin.

University of Western Australia

Tim Russert

The Art Institute of California, Sunnyvale

Toni Morrison

The Catholic University of America

Tracy Chevalier

Oberlin College

Ursula K. Le Guin

Mills College

Vaclav Havel

Vernice armour.

Ashford University

Vernon Jordan

Victor hwang.

Austin Community College

Wangari Maathai

Warren burger.

Pace University

Wesley Chan

Whoopi goldberg.

Savannah College of Art and Design

Will Ferrell

William allen white, william chiu.

Halsey Junior High School

William H. Gass

Washington University

William Kunstler

State University of New York, Buffalo

Woody Hayes

Ohio State University

Wynton Marsalis

Maine College of Art

Yvonne Thornton

Tuskegee University

Zadie Smith

Zubin damania.

University of California, San Francisco

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The 15 Best Commencement Speeches of All Time

Table of Contents

T here’s a lot of pressure on speakers delivering a commencement speech.

They have to say something inspiring, engaging, and memorable—and if that wasn’t hard enough, they have to remain composed in front of hundreds or thousands of people. 

Universities handpick some of the most prestigious public speakers to give graduation speeches. As a result, there’s no shortage of commencement speech examples to watch and learn from. 

We’ve picked out 15 of the very best from recent times, including videos, transcripts, and the best quote from each.

What are the ingredients of the best commencement speeches?

Before we get to the speeches, perhaps you’ve come across this article because you’re on the lookout for your own graduation speech ideas to deliver at an upcoming address. 

If so, we’ve outlined the commonalities all of the best graduation speeches on this list share, so you can start crafting an address that will leave a lasting impression.

They include personal anecdotes

As you read through the graduation speech examples on this list, you’ll notice that nearly all of them start with a personal anecdote of some sort. This may be just a casual reference to one’s personal life, or a longer, more detailed story—or even a set of stories that are woven throughout the speech. 

Anecdotes can create a captivating hook for your speech, and also make you more relatable, so that students identify with your main points.

They have a clear central theme

Most graduation speeches range from ten minutes to thirty minutes, but all of the best ones can be boiled down to one or two sentences. This is because a good graduation speech will be crafted around a central point: one specific concept that the speaker wants to demonstrate. 

If you’re looking for graduation speech ideas, start with the primary point you want to make and build your speech around that. Choose too many points, and you’ll have a meandering speech that will leave listeners confused or overwhelmed.

They feature powerful one-liners 

You’ll see we’ve included our favorite quotes from each of the graduation speeches below. In most cases, it was hard to just pick one line! A good graduation speech should have a few standout moments—one or two sentences that will stick in the minds of anyone who hears the speech. 

The brilliant one-liners will rarely show up on the first draft of your speech, so don’t worry about being too clever when you’re just starting out. As you edit and hone the speech, the best lines will write themselves.

They are applicable to a broad audience 

It’s not uncommon for commencement speech-givers to make comments about the specific school they are speaking to; a commencement address at at a technical school will naturally have different themes than one at a liberal arts college. 

But ultimately, the graduation speech you give should be applicable to a broad audience. Every person in the graduating class should be able to resonate with the message on some level, and the most memorable graduation speeches apply to all young adults who are preparing to start living on their own.

The 15 best commencement speeches of all time

Kamala harris commencement speech .

Tennessee State University, Class of 2022

Read the transcript

Why it’s so good: Vice President Harris had a tough job—addressing a class of students who had experienced a global pandemic that disrupted their college experience. She took the stage and gave an inspiring speech encouraging students to seize the moment and adopt a sense of leadership. Listening to her speak, it’s no surprise her eloquence helped bring her to the White House. 

Best quote: “I look at this unsettled world and, yes, I then see the challenges, but I’m here to tell you, I also see the opportunities. The opportunities for your leadership. The future of our country and our world will be shaped by you.”

Jim Carrey commencement speech

Maharishi University of Management, Class of 2014

Why it’s so good: Actor Jim Carrey is introduced as “the funniest man on Earth,” and though he comes out with a bunch of great jokes, his speech delivers insightful, thought-provoking, and touching comments about what life will be like after graduation. 

Best quote: “You can spend your whole life imagining ghosts, worrying about the pathway to the future, but all there will ever be is what’s happening here, and the decisions we make in this moment, which are based in either love or fear.”

Taylor Swift commencement speech

New York University, Class of 2022

Why it’s so good: Taylor Swift, in some ways, is the voice of the generation (though you may roll your eyes at that statement if you aren’t a fan). Either way, this graduation speech she gave speaks directly to the GenZ audience she addressed in a way older speakers might not be able to achieve.

Best quote: “Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth. The people who wanted it the least were the ones I wanted to date and be friends with in high school. The people who want it most are the people I now hire to work for my company. ”

Steve Jobs commencement speech

Stanford, Class of 2005

Why it’s so good: Despite being one of the most successful businesspersons ever, the late Steve Jobs dropped out of college. He doesn’t shy away from this in his speech—instead, he uses it to tell three compelling stories from his life that contain some excellent lessons for soon-to-be grads. 

Best quote: “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 others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Patton Oswalt commencement speech 

William & Mary, Class of 2023

Read more excerpts

Why it’s so good: If you only read the opening of actor Patton Oswald’s commencement speech, it will sound less than inspiring. He begins by outlining the many uncomfortable realities our world is facing, from climate change to deteriorating democracies around the world. But as his speech goes on, Oswalt puts into words the hope and passion that are signature traits of Generation Z, and it has an impressive impact on his audience. 

Best quote: “You do not have a choice but to be anything but extraordinary. Those are the times we’re living in right now. And it’s been amazing. It’s been truly amazing to see how your generation has rebelled against every bad habit of mine and every generation that came before me.”

Maria Shriver commencement speech

University of Michigan, Class of 2022

Why it’s so good: Though exciting, graduating from college can be intimidating as well—students may feel unconfident about what they want to do in life and who they want to be. Though she’s a seasoned journalist, Maria Shriver knows something about self-doubt and how to overcome it. She eloquently shares her advice in this graduation speech. 

Best quote: “Graduates, you are not here to do a repeat of your parents or other famous Michigan grads. You are here to live your own wildly authentic lives. And it’s your authenticity, your determination, your creativity, and your imagination that our society needs most at this uncertain time.”

Denzel Washington commencement speech

University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2011

Why it’s so good: You probably don’t think of the word “failure” when you think of Denzel Washington, but that’s just the thing—as he says in his speech, people don’t focus on the failures of someone’s life; they focus on the successes. He uses examples of his own failures to encourage grads to “fall forward” when they don’t succeed. 

Best quote: “So the question is, what are you going to do with what you have? I’m not talking about how much you have. Some of you are business majors. Some of you were theologians, nurses, sociologists. Some of you have money. Some of you have patience. Some of you have kindness. Some of you have love. Some of you have the gift of long-suffering. Whatever it is, whatever your gift is, what are you going to do with what you have?”

Elizabeth Bonker graduation speech

Rollins College, Class of 2022

Why it’s so good: Elizabeth Bonker was one of the valedictorians for her class, which meant she was expected to give a commencement speech. As a woman affected by nonspeaking autism, she relied on technology to communicate a message of perseverance and the power to choose your own path in life. 

Best quote: “The freedom to choose our own way is our fundamental human right, and it is a right worth defending, not just for us, but for every human being.”

David Foster Wallace commencement speech

Kenyon College, Class of 2005

Why it’s so good: Author David Foster Wallace was a master storyteller, and his speech is full of funny parables that conceal incredibly profound insights for the graduates listening. The speech Wallace gave was raw and honest, and as such, it has cemented itself as one of the best commencement speeches of all time. 

Best quote: “And I submit that this is what the real, no bullshit value of your liberal arts education is supposed to be about: how to keep from going through your comfortable, prosperous, respectable adult life dead, unconscious, a slave to your head and to your natural default setting of being uniquely, completely, imperially alone day in and day out.”

Tom Hanks commencement speech 

Harvard University, Class of 2023

Why it’s so good: Harvard is well-known for hosting some of the best commencement speeches, and 2023 was no different. Actor Tom Hanks started his address by talking about superheroes, and used it as a launching pad to show students how to tap into their own powers and fight for truth, justice, and the American Way. 

Best quote: “Every day, every year, and for every graduating class there is a choice, the same option for all grownups to make: to be one of three types of Americans—those who embrace liberty and freedom for all , those who won’t, or those who are indifferent. In the never-ending battle you have all officially joined as of today, the difference is in how truly you believe, in how vociferously you promote, in how tightly you hold to the Truth that is self-evident—that of course we are all created equally yet differently, and of course we are all in this together. Justice and the American way are within our grasp no matter our gender, our faith, our station, our heritage, our genetic makeup, the shade of our flesh, or the continental birthplace of our ancestors.”

Mary Schmich commencement speech (sort of)

All Graduates Everywhere, 1997

Read the original essay

Why it’s so good: This speech, titled “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young,” was never delivered to a single graduating class. It originated as a hypothetical commencement speech penned by Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich. It went viral over email (it was 1997, after all, so there was no social media). Later, Baz Luhrmann (yes, that Baz Luhrmann) adapted it into a spoken-word song commonly known as “Wear Sunscreen.” The song still slaps and contains a bunch of fantastic advice for young people. 

Best quote: “Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives. Some of the most interesting 40-year-olds I know still don’t.”

Abby Wambach commencement speech

Barnard College, Class of 2018

Why it’s so good: Olympic gold-medalist, World Cup champ, and human rights activist Abby Wambach was the perfect person to give a speech to the women graduating in the 2018 class at Barnard College. She gave a rousing speech about feminism and the power the women in her audience held as they took a step into the future. 

Best quote: “As you go out into the world: Amplify each others’ voices. Demand seats for women, people of color and all marginalized people at every table where decisions are made. Call out each other’s wins and just like we do on the field: claim the success of one woman, as a collective success for all women.”

George Saunders commencement speech

Syracuse University College of Arts and Sciences, Class of 2013

Why it’s so good: Author George Saunders took the stage at the same university where he was a professor, which may explain why he was so candid in his excellent graduation speech. He speaks on regret and kindness—two emotions that are more connected than you may think. 

Best quote: “Since, according to me, your life is going to be a gradual process of becoming kinder and more loving: Hurry up. Speed it along. Start right now. There’s a confusion in each of us, a sickness, really: selfishness. But there’s also a cure. So be a good and proactive and even somewhat desperate patient on your own behalf—seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines, energetically, for the rest of your life.”

Matthew McConaughey commencement speech

University of Houston, Class of 2018

Why it’s so good: Matthew McConaughey gives a masterclass on structuring an excellent graduation speech. He cuts to the chase, letting the audience know that he’s going to share with them 13 simple truths. The first one is “Life’s not fair.” And they only get more honest and inspiring from there. 

Best quote: “Prioritize who you are, who you want to be, and don’t spend time with anything that antagonizes your character. Don’t drink the Kool-Aid. It tastes sweet but you will get cavities tomorrow. Life is not a popularity contest. Be brave. Take the hill. But first answer that question. What’s my hill?”

Juan Manuel Santos commencement speech 

Notre Dame University, Class of 2023

Why it’s so good: Juan Manuel Santos was the president of Colombia from 2010 to 2018, and much of his time during those years was dedicated to ending the long, violent civil war in his country. For this effort, he was the sole recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2016. It should come as no surprise that he delivered a moving commencement speech focused on the concept of peacemaking. 

Best quote: “To become a true peacemaker, first you must be at peace with yourself, at peace with your own conscience. … Whenever you have to choose between being at peace or proving yourself right, choose the way of peace. We have too many wars, conflicts, deaths, victims, and violence because human beings insist that only they, not their fellow humans, know the correct course of action. It is better to be at peace than to prove to anyone that you are right. Work with peace in your heart, find peace in your soul, and everything else will follow.”

More inspirational content for recent grads

Before you go, if you’re on the lookout for more resources to help you now that you’re a college grad, we’ve got some excellent content you might want to check out. Here are some of the best articles from our archives for young alumni:

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The 21 greatest graduation speeches of the last 60 years

By german lopez on may 11, 2016.

Graduation speeches are the last opportunity for a high school or college to educate its students. It's unsurprising, then, that these institutions often pull in some of the world's most powerful people to leave an equally powerful impression on their students. Here are the best of those speeches and some of the sections that resonate the most.

David Foster Wallace at Kenyon College, 2005

Jamie Sullivan

“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?' This is a standard requirement of US commencement speeches: the deployment of didactic little parable-ish stories. The story thing turns out to be one of the better, less bulshitty conventions of the genre, but if you're worried that I plan to present myself here as the wise, older fish explaining what water is to you younger fish, please don't be. I am not the wise old fish.”

Steve Jobs at Stanford University, 2005

Stanford University

“No one wants to die. Even people who want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. No one has ever escaped it. And that is as it should be, because death is very likely the single best invention of life. It’s life’s change agent. It clears out the old to make way for the new. Right now the new is you, but someday not too long from now you will gradually become the old and be cleared away. Sorry to be so dramatic, but it’s quite true. 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 others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

Ellen Degeneres at Tulane University, 2009

Tulane University

“I know that a lot of you are concerned about your future, but there’s no need to worry. The economy is booming, the job market is wide open, the planet is just fine. It’s gonna be great. You’ve already survived a hurricane. What else can happen to you? And as I mentioned before, some of the most devastating things that happen to you will teach you the most. And now you know the right questions to ask for your first job interview — like, ‘Is it above sea level?’ So to conclude my conclusion that I’ve previously concluded in the common cement speech, I guess what I’m trying to say is life is like one big Mardi Gras. But instead of showing your boobs, show people your brain. And if they like what they see, you’ll have more beads than you know what to do with. And you’ll be drunk most of the time.”

Conan O'Brien at Dartmouth College, 2011

“Way back in the 1940s there was a very, very funny man named Jack Benny. He was a giant star and easily one of the greatest comedians of his generation. And a much younger man named Johnny Carson wanted very much to be Jack Benny. In some ways he was, but in many ways he wasn’t. He emulated Jack Benny, but his own quirks and mannerisms, along with a changing medium, pulled him in a different direction. And yet his failure to completely become his hero made him the funniest person of his generation. David Letterman wanted to be Johnny Carson, and was not, and as a result my generation of comedians wanted to be David Letterman. And none of us are — my peers and I have all missed that mark in a thousand different ways. But the point is this: it is our failure to become our perceived ideal that ultimately defines us and makes us unique. It’s not easy, but if you accept your misfortune and handle it right, your perceived failure can be a catalyst for profound reinvention.”

Carol Bartz at University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2012

University of Wisconsin-Madison

“Accept failure and learn from it. Failure is part of life, it’s part of every career, and you have to know how to take advantage of it. The single greatest strength that this country has via Silicon Valley is that failure is seen as a sign of experience. Failure is part of work, it’s part of life. People are willing to take risks on the way to innovation. One of my fondest sayings is fail, fast, forward. Recognize you’ve failed, try to do it fast, learn from it, build on it, and move forward. Embrace failure, have it be part of your persona. You’re going to have long careers, as I’ve already told you, you’re going to have many failures — personal, business, professional. I’ve had my share. But just use this as a building block to your next success.”

President John F. Kennedy at American University, 1963

“Genuine peace must be the product of many nations, the sum of many acts. It must be dynamic, not static, changing to meet the challenge of each new generation. For peace is a process — a way of solving problems. With such a peace, there will still be quarrels and conflicting interests, as there are within families and nations. World peace, like community peace, does not require that each man love his neighbor — it requires only that they live together in mutual tolerance, submitting their disputes to a just and peaceful settlement.”

David McCullough Jr. at Wellesley High School, 2012

Wellesley High School

“Like accolades ought to be, the fulfilled life is a consequence — a gratifying byproduct. It’s what happens when you’re thinking about more important things. Climb the mountain not to plant your flag but to embrace the challenge, enjoy the air, and behold the view. Climb it so you can see the world, not so the world can see you. Go to Paris to be in Paris, not to cross it off your list and congratulate yourself for being worldly. Exercise free will and creative independent thought not for the satisfactions they will bring you but for the good they will do others — the rest of the 6.8 billion and those who will follow them. And then you too will discover the great and curious truth of the human experience is that selflessness is the best thing you can do for yourself. The sweetest joys of life, then, come only with the recognition that you’re not special, because everyone is.”

Stephen Colbert at Northwestern University, 2011

Joshua Sherman

“You have been told to follow your dreams, but what if it’s a stupid dream? For instance, Stephen Colbert of 25 years ago lived at 2015 North Ridge with two men and three women in what I now know was a brothel. He dreamed of living alone — well, alone with his beard in a large, barren loft apartment, lots of blonde wood, wearing a kimono, with a futon on the floor and a Samovar of tea constantly bubbling in the background, doing Shakespeare in the street for homeless people. Today, I am a beardless, suburban dad who lives in a house, wears no iron khakis, and makes Anthony Weiner jokes for a living. And I love it, because thankfully dreams can change. If we’d all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses. So whatever your dream is right now, if you don’t achieve it, you haven’t failed, and you’re not some loser. But just as importantly — and this is the part I may not get right and you may not listen to — if you do get your dream, you are not a winner.”

Sheryl Sandberg at Harvard Business School, 2012

Harvard Business School

“I sat down with Eric Schmidt, who had just become the CEO [of Google], and I showed him the spreadsheet and I said, this job meets none of my criteria. He put his hand on my sheet and he looked at me and said, ‘Don’t be an idiot.’ Excellent career advice. And then he said, ‘Get on a rocketship. When companies are growing quickly and having a lot of impact, careers take care of themselves. And when companies aren’t growing quickly or their missions don’t matter as much, that’s when stagnation and politics come in. If you’re offered a seat on a rocketship, don’t ask what seat. Just get on.’”

Michael Lewis at Princeton University, 2012

Princeton University

“In a general sort of way you’ve been appointed leader of the group. Your appointment may not be entirely arbitrary. But you must sense right now its arbitrary aspect: you are the lucky few. Lucky in your parents, lucky in your country, lucky that a place like Princeton exists that can take in lucky people, introduce them to other lucky people, and increase their chances of becoming even luckier. Lucky that you live in the richest society the world has ever seen, in a time when no one actually expects you to sacrifice your interest to anything. All of you have been faced with the extra cookie. All of you will be faced with many more of them. In time you will find it easy to assume that you deserve the extra cookie. For all I know, you may deserve the extra cookie. But you will be happier, and you will be better off, if you at least pretend that you don't.”

Jon Stewart at the College of William & Mary, 2004

College of William & Mary

“Lets talk about the real world for a moment. ... I don’t really know to put this, so I’ll be blunt: we broke it. Please don’t be mad. I know we were supposed to bequeath to the next generation a world better than the one we were handed. So, sorry. I don’t know if you’ve been following the news lately, but it just kinda got away from us. Somewhere between the gold rush of easy internet profits and an arrogant sense of endless empire, we heard kind of a pinging noise, and then the damn thing just died on us. So I apologize. But here’s the good news: you fix this thing, you’re the next greatest generation, people.”

Oprah Winfrey at Spelman College, 2012

Spelman College

“You must have some kind of vision for your life, even if you don’t know the plan. You have to have a direction in which you choose to go. I never was the kind of woman who liked to get in a car and just go for a ride. I had a boyfriend that would say, ‘Let’s just go for a ride.’ I want to know where are we going. Do we have a destination? Is there a plan? Are we just riding? What I’ve learned is that’s a great metaphor for life. You want to be in the driver’s seat of your own life, because if you’re not, life will drive you.”

Neil Gaiman at the University of the Arts, 2012

Lennie Alzate

“The moment that you feel that, just possibly, you’re walking down the street naked, exposing too much of your heart and your mind and what exists on the inside, showing too much of yourself, that’s the moment you may be starting to get it right. The things I’ve done that worked the best were the things I was the least certain about, the stories where I was sure they would either work or more likely be the kinds of embarrassing failures that people would gather together and discuss until the end of time. They always had that in common. Looking back at them, people explain why they were inevitable successes. And while I was doing them, I had no idea. I still don’t. And where would be the fun in making something you knew was going to work? And sometimes the things I did really didn’t work. There are stories of mine that have never been reprinted. Some of them never even left the house. But I learned as much from them as I did from the things that worked.”

George Saunders at Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences, 2013

Syracuse University's College of Arts and Sciences

“Seek out the most efficacious anti-selfishness medicines energetically for the rest of your life. And do all the other things of course, the ambitious things: travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in a wild jungle river — after first testing it for monkey poop. But as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness. Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial. That luminous part of you that exists beyond personality — your soul, if you will — is as bright and shining as any that has ever been. Bright as Shakespeare’s, bright as Gandhi’s, bright as Mother Teresa’s. Clear away everything that keeps you separate from this secret luminous place. Believe it exists, come to know it better, nurture it, share its fruits tirelessly.”

Nora Ephron at Wellesley College, 1996

Wellesley College

“So what are you going to do? This is the season when a clutch of successful women who have it all get up and give speeches to women like you and say, ‘To be perfectly honest, you can’t have it all.’ Well, maybe young women don’t wonder whether they can have it all any longer, but in case any of you are wondering, of course you can have it all. What are you going to do? Everything is my guess. It will be a little messy, but embrace the mess. It will be complicated, but rejoice in the complications. It will not be anything like what you think it’s going to be like, but surprises are good for you. And don't be frightened. You can always change your mind. I know. I've had four careers and three husbands. And this is something else I want to tell you, one of the hundreds of things I didn’t know when I was sitting here so many years ago: you are not going to be you, fixed and immutable you, forever.”

Aaron Sorkin at Syracuse University, 2012

Syracuse University

“Decisions are made by those who show up. Don't ever forget that you're a citizen of this world. Don't ever forget that you’re a citizen of this world, and there are things you can do to lift the human spirit, things that are easy, things that are free, things that you can do every day: civility, respect, kindness, character. You’re too good for schadenfreude, you’re too good for gossip and snark, you’re too good for intolerance — and since you're walking into the middle of a presidential election, it’s worth mentioning that you’re too good to think people who disagree with you are your enemy. … Don’t ever forget that a small group of thoughtful people can change the world. It’s the only thing that ever has.”

Barbara Kingsolver at DePauw University, 1994

DePauw University

“It’s not up to you to save the world. That’s the job of every living person who likes the idea of a future. But I’m going to go out on a limb here and give you one little piece of advice, and that is, like the idea of a future. Believe you have it in you to make the world look better rather than worse seven generations from now. Figure out what that could look like. And then if you’re lucky, you’ll find a way to live inside that hope, running down its hallways, touching the walls on both sides.”

Jane Lynch at Smith College, 2012

Smith College

“My counsel to you, women of Smith College: let life surprise you. Don’t have a plan. Plans are for wusses. If my life went according to my plan, I would never ever have the life I have today. Now, you are obviously good planners, or you wouldn’t be here. So stop it! Stop it now! Don’t deprive yourself of the exciting journey your life can be when you relinquish the need to have goals and a blueprint.”

Bill Gates at Harvard University, 2007

Harvard University

“In line with the promise of this age, I want to exhort each of the graduates here to take on an issue — a complex problem, a deep inequity, and become a specialist on it. If you make it the focus of your career, that would be phenomenal. But you don’t have to do that to make an impact. For a few hours every week, you can use the growing power of the internet to get informed, find others with the same interests, see the barriers, and find ways to cut through them. Don’t let complexity stop you. Be activists. Take on big inequities. I feel sure it will be one of the great experiences of your lives.”

Eugene Mirman at Lexington High School, 2009

Eugene Mirman

“What’s the worst grade you’ve ever gotten? A D? An F? When I was in eighth grade in Diamond Middle School on a homework assignment — this is true — I once got a -8. Sadly very true. I did my assignment worse than not doing it. But did I let getting a grade lower than the lowest possible grade stop me? No. I was put into resource room in special education, and I turned my F into a D. So you see sometimes you can fail, then barely pass, and then become a comedian.”

Michelle Obama at Spelman College, 2011

“Some of you may have grown up like me, in neighborhoods where few had the chance to go to college, where being teased for doing well in school was a fact of life, where well-meaning but misguided folks questioned whether a girl with my background could get into a school like Princeton. Sometimes I’d save them the trouble and raised the questions myself, in my own head, lying awake at night, doubting whether I had what it took to succeed. And the truth is that there will always be folks out there who make assumptions about others. There will always be folks who try to raise themselves up by cutting other people down. That happens to everyone, including me, throughout their lives. But when that happens to you all, here’s what I want you to do: I want you to just stop a minute, take a deep breath — because it’s going to need to be deep — and I want you to think about all those women who came before you.”

• The formula for a good life after college
• Girls have gotten better grades than boys for 100 years
• The job market for 2014 grads: still awful
• Editor Eleanor Barkhorn
• Designer: Uy Tieu
• Developer Yuri Victor
• Special Thanks Chao Li

The Most Notable Commencement Speeches of 2024

Each year, BestColleges features a roundup of the most noteworthy university commencement speeches. This year’s roster of speakers includes entertainers, politicians, business leaders, athletes, journalists, and other prominent A-listers, some of whom encountered student protests over the Israel-Hamas war.

Here’s a sampling of inspiring speakers and their words of wisdom for the class of 2024.

Jerry Seinfeld, Duke University

Amid some student walkouts , the comedian and actor, who has publicly supported Israel, steered clear of political statements, instead encouraging graduates to pursue fascination rather than passion, to prioritize hard work and relationships, and, of course, to maintain a healthy sense of humor.

Favorite Quote: “The slightly uncomfortable feeling of awkward humor is OK. It’s not something you need to fix. I totally admire the ambitions of your generation to create a more just and inclusive society. I think it is also wonderful that you care so much about not hurting other people’s feelings in the million and one ways we all do that in every second of every day. It’s lovely to want to fix those things.

“ But , what I need to tell you as a comedian is do not lose your sense of humor. You can have no idea at this point in your life how much you are going to need it to get through. Not enough of life makes sense for you to be able to survive it without humor.”

President Joe Biden, Morehouse College

In a wide-ranging speech met with some student protests , President Biden talked about his ascension into politics, the personal tragedies he’s faced, the war in Gaza, and the promise of democracy.

Favorite Quote: “It’s natural to wonder if the 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 leaves 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?”

Jennifer Coolidge, Washington University in St. Louis

The actress recounted her story of breaking into show business, travails and all, and encouraged students to embrace weirdness, to love who they are, and to “dare to be what you really want to be.”

Favorite Quote: “You don’t have to leave here today and … have it all figured out. I didn’t, and … maybe the delays sort of helped me in some way. Maybe I’m actually truer to myself because I had so many things that were disappointing. And enduring them somehow … is sort of like you’re invisibly training for something really cool.”

Rainn Wilson, Weber State University

After discussing his struggles with depression, loneliness, and anxiety, the actor and author offered graduates a five-point “meaning of life” philosophy: Gather a bouquet of virtues, be other-centered, cultivate relationships (“live like it’s Dungeons & Dragons”), devote yourself to love, and keep hope alive.

Favorite Quote: “When we pass away … we don’t take with us our Teslas or our Xboxes. At the very end of our lives, if, in fact, we are all spiritual beings having a human experience, we take with us only one thing: that bouquet of internal character qualities we’ve nurtured, gathered, and exercised over the course of our lives.”

David Grann, Boston University

The writer entertained graduates with his tale of searching for the elusive giant squid off the coast of New Zealand, an adventure that ultimately failed to produce the desired result but succeeded in setting him on the journalistic path he continues to follow.

Favorite Quote: “Often, the most rewarding moments of our quest are the ones born of seeming setbacks, the ones that opened our eyes to new possibilities and led to triumphant ends we could not fathom.”

Thasunda Brown Duckett, Howard University

The CEO of TIAA, a Fortune 500 financial services company, discussed the importance of courage — relaying her story of overcoming humble roots through hard work and perseverance — and encouraged graduates to keep looking forward.

Favorite Quote: “Think back to something you all probably learned in driver’s ed: Don’t dwell too long on that rearview mirror. Use it to take a quick glance backward to ensure you can get to your destination safely. But I want you to think about it and be reminded [that] the windshield is a lot wider than the rearview mirror.”

Pat Sajak, Hillsdale College

The longtime “Wheel of Fortune” host spoke about his own circuitous educational journey, the challenges of being a celebrity, the people he’s met on the show, and the importance of regaining civility in society and public discourse.

Favorite Quote: “There does seem to be a growth in animosity between and among individuals. It’s not enough to disagree; you also have to disparage. Every issue has competing camps. If you’re not with us, you’re against us. Your views make you unworthy of my friendship.

“There’s a coarseness that has taken hold in our exchanges with each other, a coarseness that is not only excused but is also celebrated.”

Maria Ressa, Harvard University

The Filipino and American journalist, co-founder of Rappler, and Nobel Peace Prize winner spoke about the challenges facing today’s media, the societal fracturing and disinformation resulting from social media and artificial intelligence, and the importance of preserving democracy against the threat of fascists and tyrants.

Favorite Quote: “Without facts, you can’t have truth. Without truth, you can’t have trust. Without these three, we have no shared reality, no rule of law, no democracy. We can’t begin to solve existential problems like climate change. This outrage economy built on our data, microtargeting us, transformed our world, rewarding the worst of humanity. Online violence is real-world violence.”

Carol Spahn, Hobart and William Smith Colleges

The Peace Corps Director exhorted students to nurture the “deeply personal, curious, human connections” we are wired for and to “find meaning and pursue progress through connection.”

Favorite Quote: “Technology has driven tremendous progress – and for that I am grateful – but we must take intentional action to ensure that it doesn’t continue to push us apart, drive us further into our own bubbles and echo chambers, a place where we can hide behind the safety of a screen, where we don’t risk that glorious awkwardness that comes from the chance encounter with a stranger or an uncomfortable silence.”

Brad Meltzer, University of Michigan

The novelist and children’s book author enumerated four ways graduates can use magic to shape their lives: make the best version of you appear, make your fear disappear, make two things switch places to find empathy, and transform who you are today into the person you’ll be in the future.

Favorite Quote: “The most sophisticated and intelligent people I know are the ones willing to challenge their thinking and admit there’s more to learn. Life will absolutely not be what you think it will be. It will be hard and wonderful and messy and rewarding, with more versions of you than you think possible. The only immutable fact is you should never be immutable. Keep transforming learning and never think you know it all.”

John Legend, Loyola Marymount University

The musician, actor, and producer offered a wide-ranging exploration of pandemic survival, global conflicts, the threat of autocracy, the importance of listening to each other, and the power of “agape,” a “transcendent kind of love that is intrinsic to the human heart.”

Favorite Quote: “We engage with complexity by recognizing that in a multiracial, multiethnic, pluralist democracy, we are going to disagree. That’s inevitable. The noise and the mess are features, not bugs. At the same time, though, diversity and difference need not be synonymous with intractable division. Even when we disagree, we have no choice but to find ways to tolerate each other, to respect each other, to live with each other.”

Roger Federer, Dartmouth College

Stepping onto a college campus for only the second time, the legendary tennis champion demonstrated the correct forehand grip while telling graduates that “effortless” is a myth, that hard work pays dividends, that grit is often more important than talent, and that giving back contributes to a fulfilling life.

Favorite Quote: “Yes, talent matters. I’m not going to stand here and tell you it doesn’t. But talent has a broad definition. Most of the time, it’s not about having a gift; it’s about having grit. When you’re playing a point, it has to be the most important thing in the world, and it is. But when it’s behind you, it’s behind you. This mindset is really crucial because it frees you to fully commit to the next point, and the next point after that, with intensity, clarity, and focus. The truth is, whatever game you play in life, sometimes you’re going to lose a point, a match, a season, a job. It’s a rollercoaster with many ups and downs, and it’s natural when you’re down to doubt yourself and to feel sorry for yourself. And, by the way, your opponents have self-doubt, too. Don’t ever forget that. But negative energy is wasted energy.”

Kendrick Lamar, Compton College

The Grammy and Pulitzer-winning rapper, a Compton native, surprised graduates with an impromptu commencement appearance. Fresh off his celebrated feud with Drake , Lamar discussed his appreciation for Compton as a breeding ground for creative talent and told graduates to take pride in their degrees and accomplishments.

Favorite Quote: “Some people tell us … this generation doesn’t have what it takes. Gen Z, we talk about it all day – they try to pull us down and say we don’t know what we’re doing. They’re wrong, though. You know why? Because not only do y’all have what it takes, but y’all have something even bigger. Y’all have the heart, y’all have the courage to be independent thinkers…. Y’all can go out here and … express your thoughts and say it with conviction and passion and stand on it and be unapologetic about it.”

16 Best Graduation Speeches That Leave a Lasting Impression

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

"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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These Great Commencement Speeches Will Change How You Look at Success and Failure

Our greatest actors, writers, musicians, and leaders give really great advice—but it's not just for college graduates.

It's easy to dismiss the lessons delivered in a college commencement speech as reserved for bright, privileged kids with a degree at a fancy school who have their whole lives ahead of them. Anyone still grinding through college or living in the real world probably doesn't exactly feel like the target audience for these inspiring words. And that's not wrong!

But the point of these speeches isn't to give those bright-eyed youngsters lessons for that given moment in time. No one needs advice on how to relax after a lifetime of school and tests and teachers. This advice is for graduates to store away somewhere and remember once real life beats their ass. Because that'll happen. This is advice for the hard times to come. This is advice for the people still struggling away to kick off careers, to make dreams come true, etc., etc.

Barack Obama

School: Howard University

Class: 2016

Most inspiring quote: "So don't try to shut folks out, don't try to shut them down, no matter how much you might disagree with them. There's been a trend around the country of trying to get colleges to disinvite speakers with a different point of view, or disrupt a politician's rally. Don't do that—no matter how ridiculous or offensive you might find the things that come out of their mouths. Because as my grandmother used to tell me, every time a fool speaks, they are just advertising their own ignorance. Let them talk. If you don't, you just make them a victim, and then they can avoid accountability."

Ellen DeGeneres

School:  Tulane University

Class:  2009

Most inspiring quote:  "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."

School:  Los Angeles Trade Technical College

Class:  2015

Most inspiring quote:  "When you're the absolute best, you get hated on the most."

School:  Smith College

Class:  2012

Most inspiring quote:  "Life is just one, big improvisation." 

Amy Poehler

School:  Harvard University

Class:  2011

Most inspiring quote:  "Try putting your iPhones down every once in awhile and look at people's faces."

Elizabeth Warren

School:  Suffolk University

Class:  2016

Most inspiring quote:  "Knowing who you are will help you when it's time to fight. Fight for the job you want, fight for the people who mean the most to you and fight for the kind of world you want to live in. It will help when people say that's impossible or you can't do that. Look, if you take the unexpected opportunities when they come up, if you know yourself, and if you fight for what you believe in, I can promise that you will live a life that is rich with meaning."

David Byrne

School:  Columbia University

Class:  2013

Most inspiring quote:  "I believe that there is a way to have a very, very satisfying, enriching and creative life in the arts, but it depends on what criteria you use to look at that. But I would say that if you're being creative, with happiness, satisfaction, all that—you're succeeding."

Stephen Colbert

School:  Northwestern University

Most inspiring quote:  "If everybody followed their first dreams in life, the world would be ruled by cowboys and princesses."

Oprah Winfrey

Most inspiring quote:  "It doesn't matter how far you might rise. At some point you are bound to stumble because if you're constantly doing what we do, raising the bar. If you're constantly pushing yourself higher, higher the law of averages not to mention the Myth of Icarus predicts that you will at some point fall. And when you do I want you to know this, remember this: there is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life trying to move us in another direction."

Jon Stewart

School:  The College of William and Mary

Class:  2004

Most inspiring quote:  "So how do you know what is the right path to choose to get the result that you desire? And the honest answer is this: You won't."

George Saunders

School:  Syracuse University

Most inspiring quote:  "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."

Meryl Streep

School:  Barnard College

Class:  2010

Most inspiring quote:  "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."

Neil Gaiman

School:  University of the Arts

Most inspiring quote:  "Husband runs off with a politician? Make good art. Leg crushed and then eaten by mutated boa constrictor? Make good art. IRS on your trail? Make good art. Cat exploded? Make good art. Someone on the Internet thinks what you're doing is stupid or evil or it's all been done before? Make good art. Probably things will work out somehow, and eventually time will take the sting away, but that doesn't matter. Do what only you can do best. Make good art."

Conan O'Brien

School:  Dartmouth College

Most inspiring quote:  "I did a lot of silly, unconventional, spontaneous, and seemingly irrational things, and guess what? With the exception of the blue leather suit, it was the most satisfying and fascinating year of my professional life."

Toni Morrison

School:  Wellesley College

Most inspiring quote:  "Of course, you're general, but you're also specific. A citizen and a person, and the person you are is like nobody else on the planet. Nobody has the exact memory that you have. What is now known is not all what you are capable of knowing. You are your own stories and therefore free to imagine and experience what it means to be human without wealth. What it feels like to be human without domination over others, without reckless arrogance, without fear of others unlike you, without rotating, rehearsing and reinventing the hatreds you learned in the sandbox. And although you don't have complete control over the narrative—no author does, I can tell you—you could nevertheless create it."

Class:  2007

Most inspiring quote:  "Don't let complexity stop you. Be activists. Take on the big inequities. It will be one of the great experiences of your lives."

David Foster Wallace

School:  Kenyon College

Class:  2005

Most inspiring quote:  "The capital-T Truth is about life BEFORE death. It is about the real value of a real education, which has almost nothing to do with knowledge, and everything to do with simple awareness; awareness of what is so real and essential, so hidden in plain sight all around us, all the time, that we have to keep reminding ourselves over and over: 'This is water.'"

Denzel Washington

School:  University of Pennsylvania

Most inspiring quote:  "Fall forward. This is what I mean: Reggie Jackson struck out 2,600 times in his career, the most in the history of baseball. But you don't hear about the strikeouts. People remember the home runs. Fall forward. Thomas Edison conducted 1,000 failed experiments. Did you know that? I didn't know that because the 1,001st was the light bulb. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success."

Zadie Smith

School:  The New School

Class:  2014

Most inspiring quote:  "Walk down these crowded streets with a smile on your face. Be thankful you get to walk so close to other humans. It's a privilege. Don't let your fellow humans be alien to you, and as you get older and perhaps a little less open than you are now, don't assume that exclusive always and everywhere means better. It may only mean lonelier. There will always be folks hard selling you the life of the few: the private schools, private plans, private islands, private life. They are trying to convince you that hell is other people. Don't believe it. We are far more frequently each other's shelter and correction, the antidote to solipsism, and so many windows on this world."

School:  Stanford University

Class: 2005

Most inspiring quote:  "Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose."

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Commencement Speeches That Never Fail to Inspire

By Rolling Stone

Rolling Stone

Whether or not certain musicians, actors, politicians and entrepreneurs have completed college, they’re often asked to deliver commencement speeches at small liberal-arts schools, state colleges and prestigious Ivy league institutions alike. If they accept, their task is simple: Convey a message of  humor, pathos, wisdom and humility, and above all, use this opportunity to collect an honorary diploma in case they need something to fall back on.

As the nation’s collective Class of 2014 collects their diplomas, we’ve selected a handful of celebrity orations from the previous 20 graduation years that  have made us giggle, tear up or want to go get ’em. − By Kenny Herzog

Bono, University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2004

Tone: Self-deprecating, incendiary. Theme: Don't take yourself too seriously, but never underestimate your potential to change the world. Key Quote: "I'm not a hippy. I do not have flowers in my hair. I come from punk rock. The Clash wore army boots, not Birkenstocks. I believe America can do this. I believe that this generation can do this. In fact, I want to hear an argument about why we shouldn't."

Stephen Colbert, Northwestern University, Class of 2011

Tone: Expectedly sarcastic, sneakily reflective and hopeful. Theme: Don't get so caught up in ambition that you forget to be decent and unselfish. Key Quote: "No more winning. Instead, try to love others and serve others and hopefully find those who love and serve you in return."

Bill Cosby, Temple University, Class of 2013

Tone: Good-natured, imploring. Theme: A degree is not the means to an end, and you’ll be up against stiff competition, so get serious and make something of yourself. Key Quote: “Get out, get a job. For God’s sake, get a job.”

Ellen DeGeneres, Tulane University, Class of 2009

Tone: Daffy, matter-of-fact. Theme: There is no better voice to listen to than the one inside yourself. Key Quote: "When I was your age, I was dating men. So what I'm saying is, when you're older, most of you will be gay."

Will Ferrell, Harvard University, Class of 2003

Tone: Loony, subversive. Theme: Don't forget to laugh, especially at yourself. And remember, we're all dust in the wind.  Key Quote: "Many of you will go on to stellar careers and various pursuits. And four of you—and I'm not at liberty to say which four —will go on to star in the porno industry."

Steve Jobs, Stanford University, Class of 2005

Tone: Cautionary, melancholy. Theme: We'll all die one day, but the point of our short life is how we live it.  Key Quote: "All external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure − these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important."

Billy Joel, Berklee College of Music, Class of 1993

 Tone: Introspective, menschy. Theme: Being a musician is a privileged calling and noble occupation. Key Quote: "Being a musician is not something you chose to be, it is something you are, like tall or short or straight or gay. There is no choice. Either you is or you ain't."

(A full transcription of the speech is available here .)

Barack Obama, Wesleyan University, Class of 2008

Prevailing Tone: Hopeful, serious, Kennedy-esque. Theme In a Nutshell: Change and progress don't happen overnight, but everyone can, and should feel obligated to, make even the smallest contribution toward a better humanity. Key Quote: "All it takes is one act of service, one blow against injustice, to send forth that tiny ripple of hope."

Conan O’Brien, Dartmouth College, Class of 2011

Tone: Relentlessly witty, generous. Theme: You will fail, and it will be the best thing that ever happened to you. Eventually. Key Quote: "At Harvard, five different guys told me that they would one day be President of the United States. Four of them were later killed in motel shoot-outs." 

Amy Poehler, Harvard University, Class of 2011

Tone: Pop-culture literate, practical. Theme: No one gets great at anything alone, all fears are both valid and conquerable, and as long as Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson is toppling movie villains, everything will be OK.  Key Quote: "Would it kill you to be nicer to your parents? They have sacrificed so much for you, and all they want you to do is smile and take a picture with your weird cousins."

Aaron Sorkin, Syracuse University, Class of 2012

Tone: Down-to-earth, anecdotal. Theme: As an educated young adult, your greatest responsibility isn't to your boss, but to yourself and to the world. Key Quote: " I wish I could tell you that there was a trick to avoiding the screw-ups, but the screw-ups, they're a-coming for ya. It's a combination of life being unpredictable and you being super dumb."

David Foster Wallace, Kenyon College, Class of 2005

Tone: Bracing, laureate-like. Theme: We can learn a lot by deeply considering not only our own, but other peoples' experiences and points of view, and from being just a little less righteous and self-absorbed. Key Quote: "If you're automatically sure that you know what reality is, and you are operating on your default setting, then you, like me, probably won't consider possibilities that aren't annoying and miserable."

Brian Williams, George Washington University, Class of 2012

Tone: Humble, sly. Theme: This world is what you make it, not what any one person or previous generation tells you it's doomed or destined to be. Key Quote: "Don't forget that by being here today you have now achieved something I was not able to achieve."

Oprah Winfrey, Spelman College, Class of 2012

Tone: Authoritative, lyrical. Theme: Find empowerment in spirituality and self-possession, rather than letting our societal roles define us. And don't be lazy. Key Quote: "Let excellence be your brand."

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