It is the finale. The final curtain call. It is your graduation.
Before graduates head away from campus, they are usually sent off with words of wisdom from their graduation speaker. What better way to close the show than have someone of importance leave you thinking, laughing or crying? Or all of the above?
Earlier in the month, we published a list of the most prominent graduation speakers of 2015 and now, without further ado, here are our favorite inspirational graduation speeches of 2015.
Michelle Obama
First lady Michelle Obama speaks during the Tuskegee University’s spring commencement, Saturday, May 9, 2015, in Tuskegee, Ala. (Photo: AP/Brynn Anderson)
Speaking at historic Tuskegee University in Tuskegee, Alabama, First Lady Michelle Obama delivered an inspiring speech on overcoming challenges and the “double duty” that blacks have to the country and to race.
In her speech, Obama highlighted the success of the Tuskegee Airmen.
“Now, those airmen could easily have let that experience clip their wings,” said Obama. “But as you all know, instead of being defined by the discrimination and the doubts of those around them, they became one of the most successful pursuit squadrons in our military.”
She talked about how people viewed her and her husband during the 2008 presidential campaign.
“We’ve both felt the sting of those daily slights throughout our entire lives — the folks who crossed the street in fear of their safety; the clerks who kept a close eye on us in all those department stores; the people at formal events who assumed we were the ‘help’ — and those who have questioned our intelligence, our honesty, even our love of this country.”
The lasting message she had to graduates was to “rise above the noise and pressures that surround you” and push for the “never-failing miracle of progress.”
Stephen Colbert
Wake Forest University holds its 2015 Commencement ceremony on Hearn Plaza on Monday, May 18, 2015. Comedian Stephen Colbert gives the commencement address.
Speaking at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, comedian Stephen Colbert had something in common with his audience. Like college graduates, Colbert is also going on an adventure of his own. He recently ended his show The Colbert Report, which ran for 10 years on Comedy Central.
The adventure that Colbert will be pursuing will be succeeding David Letterman on The Late Show in September. Colbert related the transition to this new position like he was graduating from college.
“I think it’s entirely appropriate that I’m the one talking to you right now, because I just spent many years learning to do one thing really well,” said Colbert. “I got so comfortable with that place, that role and those responsibilities that it came to define how I saw myself.”
His final message to graduates, “…I’d like to leave you with a bit of wisdom I picked up from a documentary I saw this weekend: Mad Max: Fury Road. All you young people really need to succeed in the future is a reliable source of fuel and a fanatical cadre of psychopathic motorcycle killers. May you ride eternal, shiny and chrome.”
Ed Helms
Actor Ed Helms speaks at UVA’s commencement. (Photo: UVA/YouTube)
Actor Ed Helms spoke at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia. In his speech, other than showcasing his trademark humor, Helms talked about what his college process was like and how he got started in acting.
At one point a bee interrupted his speech. However, what really stood out were his comments about the retracted Rolling Stone article titled “A Rape on Campus.”
“It has been said that a rolling stone gathers no moss,” said Helms. “I would add that sometimes a rolling stone also gathers no verifiable facts or even the tiniest morsels of journalistic integrity.”
He then went on to praise the community for recognizing that everything can’t be perfect.
“This community didn’t fall for the fallacy that just because Rolling Stone was wrong everything here must be perfectly peachy,” said Helms. “You all had the courage to understand you can be outraged at Rolling Stone and still ask yourselves hard questions: When sexual violence does occur in our community, do we have the best possible protocols and resources available to our students? And UVA is charging forward to answer those questions and you should be proud of that.”
Maya Rudolph
Actress Maya Rudolph speaks at Tulane University’s commencement. (Photo: Tulane University/YouTube)
Former Saturday Night Live comedian and actress Maya Rudolph spoke to Tulane University graduates in New Orleans. By turns funny and inspiring, Rudolph left the audience laughing and thinking.
She talked about her family connection to Tulane, her dream of starring on SNL, and threw in a few celebrity imitations. One of those imitations that stood out in particular was her exaggerated version of the National Anthem in her iconic Beyoncé impression (and yes, it was gold.)
“Kiss your Mama,” said Rudolph. “Admit what your dreams are. Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t know what you’re gonna do tomorrow. But work hard and don’t be lazy. And put away your damn phone once in a while. And be nice to jerks because we still don’t know the criteria for getting into heaven yet.”
Tim Cook
Apple CEO Tim Cook waits to enter during George Washington University’s commencement exercises on the National Mall, Sunday, May 17, 2015 in Washington. Cook later gave the commencement address and was awarded an honorary doctorate in public service. (Photo: AP/Alex Brandon)
Apple CEO Tim Cook spoke at George Washington University in Washington, D.C. While his speech was in no way humorous, he brought up several important social and environmental issues in his speech.
“The world needs you in the arena, there are problems that need to be solved, injustices that need to be ended,” said Cook.
He admitted that when he joined Apple, he thought social justice would not be part of his agenda.
“Steve (Jobs) didn’t see it that way,” Cook said. “He convinced me that if we made great products, we too could change the world.”
His final message to graduates? “Don’t shrink from risk. And tune out those critics and cynics. History rarely yields to one person, but think, and never forget, what happens when it does. That can be you. That should be you. That must be you.”
Matthew McConaughey
Actor Matthew McConaughey takes off his jacket during his commencement address to graduates at the University of Houston. (Photo: University of Houston/YouTube)
Actor Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club, Interstellar) spoke at the University of Houston in Houston, Texas. This was a speech that was absolutely wild and all over the place. However, he did make some very valuable points…just in typical McConaughey fashion.
He talked about his acting career, the struggles of entering the real-world after school, and how to discover the inner self — who we are, who we aren’t.
“The first step that leads to our identity in life is usually NOT ‘I know who I am,’ but rather ‘I know who I AM NOT.’ Process of elimination,” said McConaughey.
He then went through a list of thirteen things he has learned throughout his journey so far. From happiness, to defining success, to “playing like an underdog,” and giving any obstacle you face credit.
He also talked about his bizarre 21 day trips to free himself of the stress and anxiety that plagues his Hollywood life… but that’s another story.
His final message to graduates, “So while we’re here, let’s make it a place where we break a sweat, where we believe, where we enjoy the process of succeeding in the places and ways we are fashioned to,” said McConaughey. “Where we don’t have to look over our shoulder because we are too busy doing what we’re good at. Voluntarily keeping our own council because we WANT to. Traveling towards immortal finish lines. We write our book. Overcome our fears. We make friends with ourselves.”
Barack Obama
President Barack Obama smiles on stage as he waits to deliver the commencement address at Lake Area Technical Institute, Friday, May 8, 2015 in Watertown, S.D. Obama visited South Dakota to promote his proposal to offer two years for free community college to qualified students. (Photo: AP/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)
President Barack Obama spoke at two schools, Lake Area Technical Institute in Watertown, South Dakota and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut. However, it was his speech in South Dakota that was most notable.
Obama is one of a few presidents that has been to all 50 states while in office.
“I saved the best for last,” Obama said as he spoke to 700 graduates. He even threw in a little humor to start off his speech, “I want to begin with a public service announcement. As long as you keep your school ID you can still get your Sunday night student discount at Bdubs.”
His final message to the Lake Area class of 2015, “The road to freedom begins in the classroom. Class of 2015, you have earned the chance to walk the road to freedom.”
George W. Bush
Former President George W. Bush addresses graduates at Southern Methodist University (Photo: SMU/YouTube)
Former President George W. Bush spoke at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas. Bush’s speech was both serious and humorous.
He joked about accepting the invitation to speak (which he gave for free),”I was relieved to hear President Turner ask if I believed in free speech,” Bush said. “I said, ‘Yeah.’ He said, ‘Perfect. Here’s your chance to give one.'”
He also provided words of encouragement to graduates who did not perform above average, “To those of you who are graduating this afternoon with high honors, awards and distinctions, I say, ‘Well done,'” said Bush. “And as I like to tell the C students: You too, can be president,” Bush said as he joked about his own academic career.
His final message to graduates, “You can be hopeful because there is a loving God,” said Bush. “Whether you agree with that statement or not is your choice. It is not your government’s choice. It is essential to this nation’s future that we remember that the freedom to worship who we want, and how we want, or not worship at all, is a core belief of our founding.”
Was there an inspiring speech that you feel should have been put on our list? Let us know in the comments below.
Filed under: CAMPUS LIFE Tagged: Barack Obama, George W. Bush, George Washington University, graduation, Matthew McConaughey, maya rudolph, Michelle Obama, Sam Lisker, Southern Methodist University, stephen colbert, Tim Cook, Tulane University, Tuskegee University, University of Houston, University of Virginia, Wake Forest University