Some students walked out on Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s commencement speech at Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2024.
The Washington Post via Getty Images
The right commencement speaker can create a memorable experience, generate favorable media coverage for the school and inspire donors. So why do colleges miss the mark on this once-a-year decision?
A generation told not to trust anyone over 30 nevertheless adored Vonnegut.
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A strain of sorrow and pessimism underlies all of Vonnegut’s fiction, as well as his graduation speeches. But he also insisted that young people cherish those fleeting moments of joy.
Students hug after a ceremony at Tufts University May 3. The ceremony celebrated 58 students who are the first in their family to receive a college degree.
Anna Miller/Tufts University
Adam Laats, Binghamton University, State University of New York
Although the choice of liberal icon Jimmy Carter as commencement speaker at Liberty University might be surprising, an expert explains why this fits in with the dream of conservative schools.
Who is the audience for the commencement address?
Penn State
American Presidents tend to use the commencement address to address the audience outside than within the graduation hall. This changes though if they go on to a second term.