Commencement Speeches

Commencement speeches catch their audience at a crucial moment in their lives. Graduates are people in transition, usually going from life in the Academy to life in the so-called real world. The transition is a scary and exciting one. Great commencement speeches can capture this moment, clarify, advise, and inspire.

Qualities to look for in a commencement speaker may include name recognition, alumni status, or their relation to current world events. Speakers like Bill Cosby and Darrell Hammond provide whimsical, yet realistic approaches to post-graduate life that can both inspire and relieve graduates. For a more traditonal speech style, American icons like John Glenn might be a more appropriate choice.

Many universities don't think to look to celebrity speakers for their commencement ceremonies. A school's size and prestige do not necessarily determine the level of speakers that are available to them. Speakers' bureaus can provide the necessary connections between famous speakers and not so famous schools.

Commencement Speeches Can Change Lives

Many graduates reach for their diplomas without knowing what direction they will take with their lives. Inspiring commencement speeches can help can literally help shape the direction of an audience member's life. It doesn't necessarily take a John Glenn to do that. It can be someone from any walk of life with an inspiring story to tell. Speakers bureaus represent dozens of talented professionals who are ideal commencement speakers. The Internet is the perfect place to begin researching all the myriad possibilities.