Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address / page 7

Joni Ernst
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Commencement Address at Iowa State University - Dec. 17, 2016
December 17, 2016
President Leath, distinguished graduates, family members and guests—thank you for inviting me to be here today. I mentioned to Dr. Leath earlier today that it was an honor. Thank you so much, Dr. Leath. Twenty-five years ago I was preparing for the spring semester at Iowa State University, and in that semester I was going to graduate. And at that point if you had told me, “Joni, in 25 years you will be delivering the commencement address at Iowa State University,” I probably would have laughed. If they had said, […]
Lori Lightfoot
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Keynote Address, Speeches
Northwestern University 2020 Commencement Address - June 19, 2020
June 19, 2020
Good afternoon everyone. I’m deeply honored to be joining you on this very special occasion, to celebrate the Northwestern University’s 2020 graduating class, as well as this remarkable institution. I want to first give my thanks and gratitude to President Schapiro and the board of trustees, for showing true moral courage and inviting an alumni of a certain other academic institution to give this year’s commencement address. Morti, you know that I’m a partisan when it comes to my undergraduate alma mater, but I have come to embrace the purple […]
Lisa P Jackson
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Tulane University Commencement Address - May 19, 2012
May 19, 2012
Good morning, Tulane! Hello Class of 2012! To President Scott Cowen, to Chairman Lapeyre, and the Board of Trustees, the faculty, the administrators, staff and alumni, the parents, the family, the friends, the musicians, the supporters, my fellow honorees, Ruby Bridges—who by the way the crow flies lived about three miles away from me and on your shoulders I stand [applause]—Peter Lacks, whose brilliance has already lit the past but will light our future without doubt. Laura—well done, congratulations. Troy, our ambassador for the city. Thank you all. Now it […]
Stacey Abrams
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Bowie State University Commencement Address - May 21, 2021
May 21, 2021
President Breaux, Provost Goodman, faculty, staff, family, friends and most importantly graduates, thank you for having me here today. Please allow me to commend the students, faculty, staff and administration of Bowie State University for your perseverance during what has been a tumultuous year. My time in college wasn't quite this rough. During my time, however, I became well known at the registrar’s office for my many majors. I dabbled in physics and philosophy, theater and English, history and film, deciding that I needed to declare each of them as […]
Angela D Merkel
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Harvard University Commencement Address - May 30, 2019
May 30, 2019
President Bacow, fellows of the corporation, members of the Board of Overseers, members of the Alumni Board, members of the faculty, proud parents and graduates: Today is a day of joy. It's your day. Many congratulations. I am delighted to be here today and would like to tell you about some of my own experiences. This ceremony marks the end of an intensive and, probably also, hard chapter in your lives. Now the door to a new life is opening. That's exciting and inspiring. The German writer Hermann Hesse had […]
Oprah Winfrey
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Howard University Commencement Address - May 12, 2007
May 12, 2007
President Swygert, trustees, distinguished guests, my fellow honorees, my shero Dr. Dorothy Height, graduates, parents, friends—what a deep honor to be here today for me. I think Dr. Gates said it best. You can receive a lot of awards in your life but there is nothing better… [tearing up; applause] there is nothing better than to be honored by your own. [applause] Thank you, thank you. I'll be calling myself Dr. Winfrey on Monday morning on The Oprah Show. [cheers and applause] Well let me just say that everybody I […]
Madeleine K Albright
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Columbia School of International and Public Affairs Commencement Address - April 28, 2021
April 28, 2021
Dean [Merit] Janow, members of the Class of 2021, and your loved ones. I'm so pleased to help you commemorate this landmark moment in your lives. As a former student and current professor, I have always loved commencement ceremonies, especially the awarding of diplomas, the lovely music and the multicolored academic robes. And what could be better than when the diploma and the robes are from Columbia? As you can see, I never miss an opportunity to wear mine. I regret, after this most harrowing of years, you're not able […]
Joyce Beatty
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Ohio State University Commencement Address - August 6, 2017
August 6, 2017
Thank you. To President Drake, thank you for your incredible leadership and for inviting me to deliver today's commencement address. To the Board of Trustees, distinguished Deans, Faculty and Staff, proud parents, guests and—most of all—graduates, welcome and congratulations! Commencement comments are a special challenge, they are expected to charge graduates with plausible words of wisdom. So, graduates have no fear, I am well aware that on a day of such high excitement, what you require first and foremost of any speaker is brevity. I shall not fail you in […]
Susan E Rice
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Ohio State University Commencement Address - June 10, 2012
June 10, 2012
Good afternoon, everyone. President Gee, thank you for your warm welcome and your outstanding leadership. The Ohio State University is mighty lucky to have you - again. If anyone out there doubts that public education can meet today's challenges, just come to the home of the Buckeyes. I'm honored to be part of your 400th commencement-the last class to hear those bells. I'm also excited because your invitation allows me to bring back to campus, for the first time since his graduation, a proud Buckeye who's very special to me. […]
Elizabeth Dole
categories: Commencement/Baccalaureate/Convocation Address, Speeches
Ohio State University Commencement Address - June 9, 1989
June 9, 1989
Remarks Prepared for Delivery Thank you very much, President Jennings. And thank you, members of the senior class--soon to be graduates--for inviting me to share this day with you and your families, and for honoring me with a degree from Ohio state. My husband wanted me to ask if the Honorary Degree entitles me to dot the "I" in script "Ohio" at a halftime this fall. If so, I start taking sousaphone lessons when I return to Washington. And President Bush asked me to pass along his best wishes to […]