Commencement Speeches

David Foster Wallace Greetings parents and congratulations to Kenyon’s graduating class of 2005. There are these two young fish swimming along and they happen to meet an older fish swimming the other way, who nods [...]

Ursula Le Guin at Mills College (1983) I want to thank the Mills College Class of ’83 for offering me a rare chance: to speak aloud in public in the language of women. I know [...]

Charlie Day at Merrimack College (2014) Good morning Merrimack. I’d like to thank President Hopey, trustees, faculty, students, parents, and my apologies to all the grandparents in the audience who have absolutely no idea who [...]

Meryl Streep at Barnard College (2010) Thank you, all. Thank you, President Spar, Ms. Golden, President Tilghman, Members of the Board of Trustees, distinguished faculty, proud swelling parents and family, and gorgeous class of 2010. [...]

Robert De Niro at NYU Tisch school of the arts (2015) Dean Green, deans, University Leadership, faculty, staff, parents, friends, and the 2015 class of New York University’s TISCH School of the Arts. Thank you [...]