20 Commencement Speech Examples That Inspired Generations

Every spring, thousands of students sit in folding chairs in their caps and gowns, itching to tick “graduate” off their to-do list. Then someone steps up to the podium — and sometimes, what they say actually sticks.

A commencement speech is a formal address delivered at a graduation ceremony. It marks the transition from student life to what comes next. The best ones go beyond congratulations, offering hard-won wisdom, telling honest stories, and sending graduates into the world ready to tackle anything.

Whether you're searching for inspiration or writing one yourself, these famous graduation speeches are worth revisiting.

1. Admiral William McRaven, University of Texas, 2014

McRaven's "Make Your Bed" speech became a viral phenomenon when he gave it back in 2014. The Navy SEAL commander argued that starting each day with one completed task (like making your bed) sets the tone for everything that follows. “If you can't do the little things right,” he said, “you'll never be able to do the big things right.”

Simple, practical, and delivered with military precision, it's one of the most shared graduation commencement speech examples in recent memory.

Read Admiral McRaven’s Commencement Speech

2. Steve Jobs, Stanford University, 2005

This is arguably one of the greatest graduation speeches of all time. Steve Jobs told three personal stories to the graduating class of 2005: when he dropped out of Reed College, when he was fired from Apple, and when he faced a cancer diagnosis. His message was simple: follow your curiosity, trust the dots will connect, and don't waste your life living someone else's.

"Stay hungry, stay foolish" became one of the most quoted lines in graduation history.

Read Steve Jobs’ Stanford Commencement Address

3. Barack Obama, Howard University, 2016

Obama’s Howard University commencement speech struck a balance between inspiration and responsibility. Speaking to graduates at a historically Black university, he acknowledged progress while challenging them not to become complacent.

His message centered on navigating the real world as it is — not as it should be. He urged graduates to reject cynicism, embrace hard work, and understand that lasting change requires persistence. It’s one of the most impactful modern commencement speech examples about leadership and civic responsibility.

Read Barack Obama’s Commencement Speech At Howard University 

4. Taylor Swift, New York University, 2022

Taylor Swift’s NYU commencement speech blended humor, self-awareness, and practical advice. Rather than positioning herself as someone who had everything figured out, she leaned into the messiness of growing up in public.

Her core idea: life is defined as much by your mistakes as your successes. She encouraged graduates to embrace awkwardness, take risks, and stop chasing perfection (and sprinkled some easter eggs for an upcoming album throughout as well).

Read Taylor Swift’s New York University Commencement Speech 

5. Denzel Washington, University of Pennsylvania, 2011

Washington's "Fall Forward" speech is raw and personal. He talked about audition failures, fear, and what it means to take real risks. His core message: falling is inevitable, but falling forward — learning from failure and moving in the right direction — is a choice.

He brought the same intensity to this speech that he brings to every role.

Read Denzel Washington’s Commencement Speech

6. David McCullough Jr., Wellesley High School, 2012

"You are nothing special." That was the resounding message of David McCullough Jr.’s commencement address — and it immediately went viral. The speech pushed back against a culture of hollow praise and told graduates that achievement requires actual effort, not just participation.

It's one of the most famous graduation speeches by a student-facing speaker who wasn't famous at all — until the speech made him so.

Read David McCullough Jr.'s Wellesley High School Graduation Speech

7. John F. Kennedy, American University, 1963

JFK’s commencement address at American University stands apart from most graduation speeches. Delivered during the Cold War, it focused less on personal success and more on global responsibility.

He called for a reexamination of peace — not as an abstract ideal, but as something built through deliberate action and mutual understanding. Serious, historic, and unusually policy-driven for a graduation speech, it remains one of the most significant commencement address examples ever delivered.

Read John F. Kennedy’s American University Commencement Address

8. Oprah Winfrey, Harvard University, 2013

Oprah's Harvard commencement speech was built around one idea: failure is just life trying to move you in a better direction. She talked about being fired from her first television job and how that became the launching pad for everything that followed.

She also pressed graduates on purpose over success for its own sake, and to focus on work that means something.

Read Oprah Winfrey’s Commencement Speech At Harvard University 

9. David Foster Wallace, Kenyon College, 2005

"This is water, this is water." David Foster Wallace’s words on staying conscious in the adult world day in and day out resonated with graduates and post-graduates alike. Wallace challenged graduates to think about the default settings of their own minds — the unconscious, self-centered ways we navigate daily life — and to choose awareness instead.

Dense, literary, and unlike anything else on this list. It rewards multiple reads.

Read David Foster Wallace’s Kenyon College Commencement Address 

10. Michelle Obama, "Dear Class of 2020," 2020

Michelle Obama's virtual commencement address spoke directly to the pain of 2020 — a pandemic, a racial justice reckoning, and a sense of deep uncertainty. She validated graduates' anger and exhaustion without letting them stop there.

Her message was a call to stay present, keep showing up, and choose the harder, better path.

Read Michelle Obama’s "Dear Class of 2020 Virtual Graduation Speech

11. Jim Carrey, Maharishi University of Management, 2014

This one surprises people. Carrey delivered a deeply philosophical speech about fear, ego, and the choices people make when they're trying to feel safe. His father, he explained, had given up a dream to take a "secure" job — and was laid off anyway.

"You can fail at what you don't want," Carrey told graduates, "so you might as well take a chance on doing what you love."

Read Jim Carrey’s Commencement Speech At The Maharishi University of Management

12. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Wellesley College, 2015

Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie brought a global perspective and sharp clarity to her Wellesley address. She pushed back on comfortable ideas about gender, privilege, and the pressure to be "liked."

Her message to women graduates: be a full person, not a palatable one. Want more from Chimamanda? Check out her TED Talk on Feminism.

Read Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Commencement Speech At Wellesley College

13. Sheryl Sandberg, Harvard University, 2014

The Facebook COO was funny and honest in equal measure. She spoke about ambition, imposter syndrome, and the importance of not locking yourself into a rigid path too early. Her speech wove together personal anecdotes with practical advice about leaning into opportunity — even when it feels premature.

Read Sheryl Sandberg’s Harvard University Commencement Address

14. Brené Brown, University of Texas, 2020

Researcher and author Brené Brown gave this virtual commencement during the COVID-19 pandemic. She was candid about her rocky academic path and the many ways her dream of attending UT got delayed before her eventual acceptance.

Her message centered on resilience: the world won't bend to your timeline, and your ability to begin again is what actually determines a meaningful life.

Read Brené Brown’s Virtual Commencement Address For The University of Texas

15. Matthew McConaughey, University of Houston, 2015

McConaughey's motivational speech touched on something most graduation speeches don't: choking. The fear of the moment getting bigger than you. He challenged graduates to push past the fictitious ceilings they'd built for themselves — and to stop waiting for life to slow down before they showed up.

Read Matthew McConaughey’s University of Houston Graduation Address

16. Lady Gaga, "Class of 2020," 2020

Lady Gaga rewrote her original commencement speech entirely after the murder of George Floyd. She spoke about kindness as a radical act, not a soft one, and challenged graduates to listen as much as they speak.

It's one of the more unusual examples of graduation speeches, and one of the more honest.

Read Lady Gaga’s Virtual "Class of 2020” Graduation Speech

17. Conan O'Brien, Dartmouth College, 2011

Conan had recently been let go from The Tonight Show when he showed up at Dartmouth in a cap and gown. He turned a very public humiliation into a genuinely funny and moving talk about disappointment and reinvention.

His well-known line, "work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen," still rings true all these years later.

Read Conan O'Brien’s Graduation Speech At Dartmouth College

18. Tom Hanks, Wright State University, 2020

Hanks recorded a virtual address for the class of 2020, just weeks after recovering from COVID-19 himself. He was warm, funny, and clear-eyed about what the graduates had been through. His message: you've already been tested, and you passed. Now go use that.

Read Tom Hanks’ Virtual Graduation Speech For Wright State University

19. Ellen DeGeneres, Tulane University, 2009

DeGeneres discussed loss, rebuilding, and the importance of being true to yourself even when it costs you something in her commencement speech to the college class of 2009 at Tulane University. She was warm, self-deprecating, and grounded her speech in lived experience.

Read Ellen DeGeneres’ Commencement Speech At Tulane University 

20. Amy Poehler, Harvard University, 2011

Poehler mixed comedy with genuine warmth in her Harvard class day address (yes, it’s not technically a commencement speech, but it’s still great inspo). She encouraged students to stop worrying about what they want to be and start thinking about what they want to do — a small shift in framing that reorients everything.

She also made the case that saying yes to collaboration and other people is how interesting careers actually get built.

Read Amy Poehler's Harvard University Class Day Speech 

What Makes a Great Commencement Speech?

A great commencement speech includes personal anecdotes, a focused theme, and a respect for the audience.

Commencement speakers shouldn’t hide behind credentials or platitudes—it’s important to tell a real story, often one involving failure, fear, or a defining moment of doubt. And always return to your central theme, to ensure your core message gets across.

And when it comes to respecting the audience, keep this in mind: graduates have just spent years working to achieve this milestone. Acknowledge that work in your speech, skip the hollow praise, and offer something honest instead: the kind of advice you'd give a friend you actually cared about.

How to Write an Inspiring Commencement Speech

Writing a graduation commencement speech is a big responsibility. Here's what separates the forgettable ones from the ones graduates remember years later.

• Start with one idea. Hone in on one thing you actually believe, that is drawn from your own life. Build everything around that.
• Tell a real story. A specific moment — a rejection, a wrong turn, a person who changed everything — makes ideas stick and makes an inspiring story.
• Keep it short. The best examples of graduation speeches tend to run 10 to 15 minutes. Make sure to time your speech while practicing to make it as concise as possible.
• Write the way you talk. Formal language kills energy. If you wouldn't say it that way in a conversation, rewrite it.
• End with something they'll carry. The last line matters most. Leave them with one image, one phrase, or one challenge they can hold onto.
• Transcribe and edit. Record yourself delivering a draft of your speech, then transcribe it. Seeing your speech in text reveals filler words, awkward rhythms, and sentences that read fine but don't land as well when spoken. 

Rev's educational transcription services make this easy — simply upload your recording, get an accurate transcript, and edit from there.

Ready To Put Your Words To Work?

Whether you're writing a commencement speech or just want to study the greats, having the full text in front of you matters. Reading a commencement speech transcript lets you study structure, pacing, and the moments where the speaker made a choice.

Rev’s transcript library has hundreds of speeches — and Rev has plenty of tools to help you create your own. If you're preparing remarks for a graduation, a conference, or any major moment, Rev can help you get from first draft to final delivery.