Editor's Picks
This Year's Schedule of Hot Graduation Speeches: Jerry Springer! Oprah!
The price of a sheepskin for the class of 2011 will be north of $200,000 (a bit less for public colleges), but look on the bright side: Included in the price of tuition will be a chance to possibly learn some life lessons from the likes of a famous commencement speaker like Bill Clinton.
‘Tis the season for commencement speeches, a time for a notable speaker to achieve wisdom-dispensing greatness. The bar has been set high, however: Apple's own Steve Jobs' (AAPL) 2005 speech at Stanford University has been viewed by nearly 2 million people on YouTube (GOOG). Who will be the next to achieve Jobs-level attention? They are probably on MainStreet's list of the hottest speakers who are scheduled to inspire young graduates across the U.S. this spring.
MAY 16
Jerry Springer will deliver the keynote speech at Northwestern University School of Law.
Farai Chideya, NPR host and the founder of popandpolitics.com, will speak at Villa Julie College’s commencement.
Chris Matthews, the host of Hardball (GE) will deliver the commencement speech at Washington University in St. Louis.
MAY 17
The former president and father of the current president, George H. W. Bush, will address the graduates at Bryant University.
Political pundits and husband-and-wife team, Mary Matalin and James Carville, are together talking at Tulane University.
Activist and ex-wife of Mick Jagger, Bianca Jagger, will speak to students at Simmons College.
MAY 18
Former Vice President Al Gore will deliver a speech at Carnegie Mellon University.
Television personality Lisa Ling is slated to address the graduating class of Quinnipiac.
Former political commentator for the Tom Joyner Morning show, Tavis Smiley will deliver the commencement speech at Connecticut College.
The Today Show (GE) Co-host Meredith Vieira will give the commencement speech at Tufts University.
MAY 19
Michael Bloomberg, the financial news mogul and New York City mayor, will deliver the address at the University of Pennsylvania.
MAY 20
Former New York Knicks player Allan Houston will give the commencement speech at Dowling College.
MAY 23
Oscar winner Jessica Lange will speak at Sarah Lawrence College’s commencement.
MAY 24
Author Dave Eggers will speak at Brown University.
MAY 30
Hearst Magazine president, Cathie Black will deliver the commencement speech at Wellesley College.
MAY 31
Furman University graduates will hear a speech from current president George W. Bush.
2004 democratic nominee, John Kerry will speak at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
JUNE 5
The creator of the Harry Potter books (BMY), J. K. Rowling, will speak at Harvard University’s commencement.
JUNE 8
Nightly News anchor Brian Williams will deliver Ohio State’s commencement speech.
JUNE 13
While Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton continue to duke it out for the democratic nomination, Bill Clinton will speak at UCLA.
JUNE 15
Talk show host and entrepreneur Oprah Winfrey will speak at commencement at Stanford University.
(Speakers' schedules may be subject to change.)
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