This class has come of age amid divisiveness, health crises and devastating wars.
These college graduates began their freshman years mostly online with limited social interaction and many people dying around the world. This is the same class of young adults who had their high school proms and graduations canceled in 2020 due to COVID. Four years later, their college graduations were fraught with disruption due to political unrest in many countries. The silver lining is that studies have found that this class is politically aware and paying attention to what’s happening around them. This class has shown resilience as they prepare to enter the workforce. Here is a sampling of interesting commencement speeches they heard as they graduated.
Roger Federer at Dartmouth
Roger Federer gave Dartmouth’s graduating class three “tennis lessons” in this speech. The first was that if someone’s success looks ‘effortless’, know that it wasn’t. The second was ‘it’s only a point’. Negative energy is wasted energy, a point is a point, some you’ll lose and some you’ll win. For the ones you lose, leave them behind and move on. The last lesson was that there is a large world beyond the tennis court. In his words, “I knew that tennis could show me the world… but tennis could never be the world.”
He was his usual delightful, sincere, and honest person. One of my favorites.
Roger Federer’s commencement speech at Dartmouth, 6/24/
President Joe Biden – West Point
President Biden’s 2024 commencement address was at the United States Military Academy at West Point, in West Point, NY. He delivered a 22-minute speech and then shook hands with and saluted each of the 1,036 graduates. The first third of his speech was exalting the graduating class, describing how hard they’ve worked, and how challenging their jobs will be in the future defending our country. He spoke against sexual violence in the military and said that every member of the U.S. military must be safe and respected in the ranks. Here are two messages in his speech that I found valuable.
“And above all, hold fast to your oath. On your very first day at West Point, you raised your right hands and took an oath — not to a political party, not to a president, but to the Constitution of the United States of America — against all enemies, foreign and domestic. Members of the Long Gray Line have given their lives for that Constitution. They have fought to defend the freedoms that it protects: the right to vote, the right to worship, the right to raise your voice in protest. . . . West Pointers know better than anyone: Freedom is not free. It requires constant vigilance.”
President Biden’s West Point graduation speech.
Ken Burns – Brandeis University
This commencement speech might be my favorite of 2024. I have long been a fan of Ken Burns and his amazing historical documentaries. His way with words to express this message is nothing short of amazing. He is sincere, invested in the graduates he’s speaking to, and he puts himself on the line. Here are a few of my favorite excerpts from his speech.
- “Human nature never changes. Everything is either right or wrong. My way or the highway. That preoccupation is imprisoning. The enemy is often us.”
- “Don’t confuse success with excellence.”
- “Be curious, not cool.”
- “Do good things, help others. Leadership is humility and generosity squared.”
- “Mark Twain said “Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits.”
- “Louis Brandeis said “The most important political office is that of the private citizen. Vote.”
Jerry Seinfeld Duke University
Jerry Seinfeld was his usual self-deprecating and amusing comedian self during his Duke commencement speech. One of his opening remarks was “I can’t imagine how sick you are of hearing about following your passion. I say to hell with passion,” he told the graduates.
He encouraged the class of 2024 to be open to opportunities, embrace their “privilege” and keep their sense of humor as they fully enter adulthood. “What I need to tell you as a comedian, do not lose your sense of humor. You can have no idea at this point in your life how much you’re going to need it to get through.”
He gave the class three keys to life:
- Bust your ass – make an effort
- Pay attention
- Fall in Love – with anything and everything
Rob Hale – University of Massachusetts @ Dartmouth
Mr. Hale lost everything he had with the first company he started, and he never forgot how that felt. Since then, and after many successes, he and his wife deeply enjoy giving their money away. He had to cut his speech short due to rain but while still in the rain, he left the podium and returned with two wet bags stuffed with cash. He announced his intention to give each graduate $1,000 as they crossed the stage – $500 to keep and $500 to give away to a good cause. His intention was to light a spark in the students, let them feel the joy of having something to give away to a worthy recipient. In his speech he said:
“it’s OK to fail. Life will give you challenges, and if you take those challenges, you’ll fail from time to time. It’s OK, don’t worry about it.”
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.
“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. It is a breakdown of manners, a lack of civility.”
David Grann – Boston University
Mr. Grann is the author of Killers of the Flower Moon and The Wager, and his personal lesson was that the journey is often more important than the end result. He 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.
“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, Duckett discussed the importance of courage — relaying her story of overcoming humble roots through hard work and perseverance — and encouraged graduates to keep looking forward. I loved this piece of advice:
“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.”
Thasunda Brown Duckett’s speech – Her speech begins at the 2:00 mark in this video.
Previous ASE Graduation Speeches articles:
Graduation: Beyond Platitudes and Polyester 2010
Best Graduation Speeches of 2016
Best Graduation Speeches of 2021
