Much like commencement speakers at top schools across the country, People filled its list of the “best commencement speeches” with liberals or those who do not have a clear political affiliation.
The list chose star power and punchy one-liners over quality. Missing from the list is Justice Clarence Thomas at Hillsdale College and Michael Bloomberg at the University of Michigan.
President Barack Obama, Rutgers University
President Obama focused on politics in his address and criticized Donald Trump, though he did not mention the presumptive GOP nominee by name.
Sheryl Sandberg, University of California-Berkeley
Sandberg, the chief operating officer of Facebook, is described as “liberal” in Young America’s Foundation’s college survey list for her “career record.”
Sandberg’s commencement address focused on coping with the death of her husband last year. “Berkeley has always been ahead of the times,” she said.
Michelle Obama, Jackson State University
The first lady got political in her address for the historically black university. She encouraged graduates to emulate her husband when it comes to fighting racism, and reminding graduates that young African Americans have had low voter turnouts.
As ABC News reported, she criticized Mississippi’s controversial religious liberty bill, those she accused of “blocking” Democratic goals, and the treatment her husband received while in office.
Russell Wilson, University of Wisconsin
Unlike others on this list, Quarterback Russell Wilson spoke about personal experiences, not politics. He touched on his career, but spoke mainly of people he met at the university who inspired him, and lessons from his father. Most references to his career were about what he’s learned.
People called the speech “plenty inspiring.”
Ryan Seacrest, University of Georgia
Ryan Seacrest attended the university, but did not graduate. People noted it’s “why getting his honorary degree and delivering the commencement speech [is] a real one-two emotional punch.”
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Drew University
Immediately, People admits that Abdul-Jabar’s commencement address had “an explicitly political tone” as he referenced the American Dream. They chose to highlight the following passage:
Senator Elizabeth Warren, Bridgewater State University
Senator Warren, a Democrat senator from Massachusetts, has found herself in the news lately for her Twitter feud with Donald Trump, which she claims she never expected. She couldn’t help referencing it in her commencement address while evoking Taylor Swift, as People noted:
Oprah Winfrey, Johnson C. Smith University
Oprah attended the graduation “because two students from from [sic] her Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa (Noluthando “Thando” Dlomo and Nompumelelo “Mpumi” Nobiva) are members of the school’s class of 2016.” People chose to highlight:
Paul Feig, USC’s Cinema of Arts
Feig is known for comedies including Bridesmaids and the upcoming Ghostbusters. He also directed an abortion “comedy,” Grandma, about a woman who assists her granddaughter in getting money to have an abortion. Feig’s short commencement address focused on avoiding acting like an “asshole,” which People called “real.”
Bill Clinton, Bill Clinton School of Public Service
According to Arkansas Online, “Clinton encouraged graduates to create a world of equality based on a shared humanity,” noting that “we don’t have anybody to waste, and we should be lifting the capacities of all people,” he said. “The definition of us should get a little bigger, and the definition of them should get a little smaller.”
