Commencement Speech Student Examples: Inspiring Words for a New Beginning

Each spring, college students face one final hurdle before freedom: the commencement speech. These speeches, delivered by a range of individuals from world-famous figures to lesser-known personalities, offer a moment of reflection, inspiration, and guidance as graduates embark on the next chapter of their lives. While many commencement addresses fade into the background, some speeches resonate deeply, sticking in the minds of graduates long after the ceremony concludes. These memorable speeches often combine the speaker's unique perspective, the context of the times, and a powerful message that speaks to the hearts and minds of the graduating class.

The Essence of a Memorable Commencement Speech

What makes a commencement speech truly memorable? It’s a combination of factors, including the speaker's ability to connect with the audience on a personal level, the relevance of the message to the graduates' experiences, and the overall impact of the words spoken. The best speeches offer more than just platitudes; they provide actionable insights, challenge conventional thinking, and inspire graduates to pursue their passions with courage and conviction.

Key Elements of Effective Commencement Speeches

Several key elements contribute to the effectiveness of a commencement speech:

Personal Anecdotes: Sharing personal stories and experiences helps the speaker connect with the audience on a human level. These anecdotes can illustrate important life lessons, demonstrate resilience in the face of adversity, and provide relatable examples of the challenges and triumphs that lie ahead.
A Clear and Concise Message: The most impactful speeches are built around a central theme or message that resonates with the graduates. This message should be easy to understand, relevant to their lives, and inspiring in its scope.
Humor and Wit: Injecting humor into a commencement speech can help to lighten the mood, engage the audience, and make the message more memorable. However, humor should be used judiciously and should always be appropriate for the occasion.
Inspiration and Motivation: A great commencement speech leaves the graduates feeling inspired and motivated to pursue their dreams. It instills a sense of hope, encourages them to embrace challenges, and reminds them of the power they have to make a difference in the world.
Authenticity: Above all, a commencement speech should be authentic and genuine. The speaker should speak from the heart, sharing their own unique perspective and offering advice that is both practical and meaningful.

Examples of Inspiring Commencement Speeches

Here are some notable examples of commencement speeches that have inspired, entertained, and enlightened graduates over the years:

A Juilliard School Alumnus's Perspective

One commencement speech, delivered by an alumnus of the Juilliard School, offers a unique perspective on the challenges and rewards of pursuing a career in the arts. The speaker acknowledges the hard work, dedication, and sacrifices required to succeed in such a competitive field, while also emphasizing the importance of perseverance, self-belief, and a commitment to the journey, rather than solely focusing on the outcome.

The speaker shares their own personal experiences of rejection and setbacks, highlighting the fact that success is not always linear and that failures can often be valuable learning experiences. They encourage graduates to embrace the challenges that come their way, to return to their "home base" - their art - for solace and guidance, and to remember that their work is ultimately a service to others.

Chadwick Boseman, Howard University, 2018

Actor Chadwick Boseman, speaking at his alma mater just two years before his death, urged graduates to find a purpose, not just a job. He praised student protesters and reminded them that struggles along the way are meant to shape them for their purpose.

Favorite quote: “Purpose is an essential element of you. It is the reason you are on the planet at this particular time in history. Your very existence is wrapped up in the things you are here to fulfill. Whatever you choose for a career path, remember, the struggles along the way are only meant to shape you for your purpose.”

Abby Wambach, Barnard College, 2018

Olympic and World Cup soccer champion Abby Wambach challenged graduates at Barnard College to be the wolf, not Little Red Riding Hood, and to defy archaic ways of thinking about women and other marginalized groups.

Favorite quote: “Women are feared as a threat to our system - and we will also be our society’s salvation. Our landscape is overrun with archaic ways of thinking about women, about people of color, about the ‘other,’ about the rich and the poor, about the powerful and the powerless - and these ways of thinking are destroying us. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for.”

Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Wellesley College, 2015

Nigerian-born author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie spoke about gender injustice at Wellesley College, urging graduates not to twist themselves into shapes to please others, but to embrace their true selves.

Favorite quote: “Do not twist yourself into shapes to please. Don’t do it. If someone likes that version of you, that version of you that is false and holds back, then they actually just like that twisted shape, and not you. And the world is such a gloriously multifaceted, diverse place that there are people in the world who will like you, the real you, as you are.”

Shonda Rhimes, Dartmouth College, 2014

Television producer Shonda Rhimes offered thoughts on the differences between dreaming and doing, emphasizing that hard work, not just dreams, creates change.

Favorite quote: “Dreams are lovely. But they are just dreams. Fleeting, ephemeral, pretty. But dreams do not come true just because you dream them. It’s hard work that makes things happen. It’s hard work that creates change.”

George Saunders, Syracuse University, 2013

Writer George Saunders exhorted students to treat others with kindness while pursuing life goals, in an address on “failures of kindness.”

Favorite quote: “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.”

Ellen DeGeneres, Tulane University, 2009

While peppered with her trademark humor, Ellen DeGeneres’ speech had a serious message about courage and loss, referencing her decision to come out on national television and the aftermath.

Favorite quote: “Really, when I look back on it, I wouldn’t change a thing. I mean, it was so important for me to lose everything because I found out what the most important thing is, is to be true to yourself. Ultimately, that’s what’s gotten me to this place. I don’t live in fear, I’m free; I have no secrets and I know I’ll always be OK because no matter what, I know who I am.”

Steve Jobs, Stanford University, 2005

Apple’s co-founder Steve Jobs delivered a famous speech about making sense of life and death, urging graduates to follow their hearts and intuition.

Favorite 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.”

David Foster Wallace, Kenyon College, 2005

The prolific author David Foster Wallace delivered a speech titled “This is Water,” an exploration of the true value of a liberal arts education, emphasizing awareness and mindfulness.

Favorite 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.'”

Bono, University of Pennsylvania, 2004

U2’s lead singer Bono discussed the challenges facing Africa and reflected on each individual’s potential to change the world, encouraging graduates to sing their own melody line.

Favorite quote: “Sing the melody line you hear in your own head. Remember, you don’t owe anybody any explanations, you don’t owe your parents any explanations, you don’t owe your professors any explanations. You know, I used to think the future was solid or fixed, something you inherited like an old building that you move into when the previous generation moves out or gets chased out. But it’s not. The future is not fixed. It’s fluid.”

John F. Kennedy, American University, 1963

President John F. Kennedy spoke about world peace against the backdrop of the Cold War and the burgeoning arms race, advocating for genuine peace for all men and women.

Favorite quote: “I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on Earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children. Not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women. Not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.”

Honorable Mentions

Taylor Swift, New York University, 2022: Acknowledged the inevitability of mistakes and the importance of learning from them.Favorite quote: “In your life, you will inevitably misspeak, trust the wrong person, underreact, overreact, hurt the people who didn’t deserve it, overthink, not think at all, self-sabotage, create a reality where only your experience exists, ruin perfectly good moments for yourself and others, deny any wrongdoing, not take the steps to make it right, feel very guilty, let the guilt eat at you, hit rock bottom, finally address the pain you caused, try to do better next time, rinse, repeat.”
Barack Obama, Howard University, 2016: Emphasized the importance of committed citizens working towards something bigger than themselves.Favorite quote: “Change is the effort of committed citizens who hitch their wagons to something bigger than themselves and fight for it every single day.”
Peter Dinklage, Bennington College, 2012: Encouraged graduates to raise the rest of their lives to meet them and to not search for defining moments.Favorite quote: “Raise the rest of your life to meet you. Don’t search for defining moments because they will never come.”
Jane Lynch, Smith College, 2012: Advised graduates to not have a plan, as plans are for wusses.Favorite quote: “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.”
Stephen Colbert, Northwestern University, 2011: Suggested that graduates should focus on loving and serving others.Favorite quote: “No more winning. Instead, try to love others and serve others and hopefully find those who love and serve you in return.”

Special Mention

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted graduation ceremonies in 2020, leading to numerous online commencement "events" featuring celebrities, politicians, and business leaders offering words of congratulations and inspiration.

Student Perspectives

Student speakers often bring a unique perspective to commencement speeches, reflecting on shared experiences and offering insights relevant to their graduating class. These speeches often focus on themes of resilience, community, and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

One student speaker at Briar Cliff University reflected on the challenges of starting college during the COVID-19 pandemic, highlighting the importance of passion, purpose, and the impact that graduates can have on the world. She recalled an assignment from freshman year where she had to define her passion and purpose, ultimately concluding that her purpose was to be the best sister she could be to her brothers and to touch as many lives as possible.

Practical Tips for Crafting a Commencement Speech

If you're tasked with delivering a commencement speech, here are some practical tips to help you craft a memorable and impactful address:

Start with a Personal Anecdote: Share a personal story or experience that is relevant to the graduates and helps to establish a connection with the audience.
Choose a Central Theme: Identify a central theme or message that you want to convey throughout your speech. This theme should be relevant to the graduates' experiences and inspiring in its scope.
Use Humor Judiciously: Inject humor into your speech to lighten the mood and engage the audience, but be sure to use it appropriately and avoid anything that could be offensive or insensitive.
Offer Actionable Advice: Provide graduates with practical advice and insights that they can use as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
Keep it Concise: Aim for a speech that is between 15 and 20 minutes in length, and avoid going over 30 minutes.
Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your speech multiple times to ensure that you are comfortable with the material and that you can deliver it with confidence and enthusiasm.
Get Feedback: Share your speech with trusted friends, family members, or mentors and ask for their honest feedback.
Be Authentic: Above all, be yourself and speak from the heart. Your authenticity will shine through and resonate with the audience.

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