Real-world examples of commencement address examples that actually work

Famous examples of commencement address examples you can learn from

Before you worry about being original, it helps to study real examples of commencement address examples that audiences actually loved. When you see how different speakers handle the same moment—graduation—you can start to pick and choose what fits your voice.

Think of this as a buffet of ideas. You’re not copying a speech; you’re noticing what works. Some examples include sharp one-liners, some lean on heartfelt storytelling, and others are almost mini–life workshops in disguise.

Let’s walk through several of the best examples and pull out specific techniques you can reuse.

Steve Jobs at Stanford (2005): The three-story structure

If people had to pick a single example of a modern commencement classic, Steve Jobs at Stanford in 2005 would be near the top of the list. You can read the transcript on Stanford’s site here: https://news.stanford.edu/2005/06/14/jobs-061505/

What makes it one of the best examples of commencement address examples isn’t fancy language. It’s the structure:

• He tells three short stories: about dropping out of college, getting fired from Apple, and facing cancer.
• Each story lands on one clear takeaway: connecting the dots, love and loss, and remembering you’ll die.
• He repeats simple phrases: “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.”

How you can use this:

Instead of trying to cover every lesson you’ve ever learned, pick two or three stories from your own life or the graduating class’s experience. Let each story carry one message. This structure shows up over and over in strong examples of commencement address examples because it’s easy to follow and easy to remember.

Oprah Winfrey at Harvard (2013): Owning failure in front of high achievers

Harvard’s 2013 commencement address by Oprah Winfrey is another standout. You can find it on Harvard’s site here: https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/05/oprah-winfrey-at-harvard-2013/

Oprah was speaking to one of the most credentialed audiences in the world. Instead of just praising them, she spent serious time talking about failure—including her own very public missteps.

Why this works:

• It disarms the audience. High-achieving graduates are already under pressure; hearing that even Oprah stumbles makes the speech feel honest.
• She offers specific examples, not vague “I’ve had tough times too.”
• She turns failure into a question: How will you use this? That question lingers long after the ceremony.

If you’re looking for examples of examples of commencement address examples that balance inspiration with realism, Oprah’s speech is a master class. When you write your own, consider including a moment where you admit something that didn’t go according to plan—and what you learned from it.

Barack Obama at Howard University (2016): Speaking directly to context

Commencement speeches land best when they acknowledge the real world outside the stadium. President Obama’s 2016 address at Howard University is a strong example of this. The White House transcript is archived by the National Archives here: https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2016/05/07/remarks-president-howard-university-commencement-ceremony-2016

Some things this speech does particularly well:

• It speaks directly to the experience of Black graduates at a historically Black university.
• It names political and social realities instead of pretending everything is fine.
• It mixes policy-level observations with personal encouragement.

When you look for real examples of commencement address examples that feel current and grounded, this one stands out. The lesson: don’t be afraid to acknowledge the moment—whether that’s economic uncertainty, social change, or the impact of recent global events.

Newer examples of commencement address examples (2020–2024)

Graduations changed dramatically after 2020. Virtual ceremonies, hybrid events, and smaller in-person gatherings reshaped how speakers connect with audiences. Some of the best examples from this period show how to be meaningful even through a screen.

Taylor Swift at NYU (2022): Leaning into your own weirdness

NYU awarded Taylor Swift an honorary doctorate in 2022, and her speech quickly became one of the most shared examples of commencement address examples of the decade. You can find coverage and excerpts through NYU and major outlets.

What she does well:

• She speaks in her own voice—funny, slightly self-deprecating, and very specific.
• She gives the graduates “life hacks” that sound like a big sister talking, not a distant celebrity preaching.
• She embraces the awkwardness of being a pop star giving academic advice and turns it into a running joke.

If you’re writing a speech, this is a great example of how to sound like yourself instead of imitating someone else’s style. Graduates in 2024 and 2025 are especially tuned in to authenticity; they can smell canned lines a mile away.

Beyoncé’s 2020 virtual commencement: Speaking to a global class

In 2020, Beyoncé delivered a virtual commencement address as part of YouTube’s “Dear Class of 2020” event, which pulled together speakers for graduates who’d lost in-person ceremonies.

This speech is a powerful example of how to:

• Address a global audience while still sounding personal.
• Call out injustice and systemic issues while still offering hope.
• Tie your own career path to broader themes of representation and courage.

If you’re looking for examples of examples of commencement address examples that work for livestreams or recorded video, this is a strong model. Notice how she keeps sentences tight and punchy—perfect for people watching on phones with short attention spans.

Mindy Kaling at Dartmouth (2018, still heavily shared): Humor as a doorway

Mindy Kaling’s Dartmouth speech predates 2020, but it keeps resurfacing on social media and in 2024 roundups of best examples of commencement address examples. Her approach: start with comedy, then sneak in the serious stuff.

Why it works:

• She uses very specific jokes about Dartmouth culture, making the graduates feel seen.
• She gradually shifts from silly to sincere, so the heartfelt message doesn’t feel forced.
• She offers practical, almost blunt advice about careers and adulthood.

If you’re naturally funny—or even just a little witty—this is a great example of how to use humor without turning the whole thing into a stand-up routine.

Less-famous but very useful examples from real schools

Celebrity speeches get all the headlines, but some of the most useful examples of commencement address examples come from everyday principals, teachers, and student speakers. These are often shorter, more focused, and easier to adapt.

A high school principal’s short and sharp speech

Picture a public high school gym in 2024: metal folding chairs, families packed into the bleachers, and a principal who has exactly eight minutes before people tune out.

A strong principal’s address often:

• Opens with one quick, local story—maybe about the class’s first year together or a shared challenge like remote learning.
• Uses plain language, not buzzwords.
• Ends with a concrete image, like walking across the stage as a symbol of stepping into the next chapter.

This kind of speech is a great example of how less can be more. If you’re writing for a smaller school, study real examples from your district or state. Many districts publish speeches on their .edu sites, and you can borrow their pacing and tone.

A student speaker’s address at a community college

Community colleges and regional universities often feature student speakers whose stories are incredibly relatable: working part-time, supporting family, returning to school later in life.

A typical strong student speech might:

• Start with a small, personal moment—falling asleep over a textbook after a long shift, or logging into class from a crowded apartment.
• Acknowledge the diversity of paths in the room: first-generation students, parents, veterans.
• Thank faculty and staff in a way that feels specific, not generic.

If you’re looking for examples of commencement address examples that don’t sound like they were written for a movie, student speeches are gold. They’re grounded, specific, and emotionally honest.

Breaking down patterns in the best examples

Once you’ve looked at several real examples of commencement address examples, patterns start to jump out. You can use these patterns as a checklist when drafting your own speech.

How strong openings usually work

In almost every best example of a commencement speech, the opening does one of three things:

• Tells a very short story that drops the audience into a moment.
• Uses a surprising fact or observation about the class or the year.
• Starts with a light joke that everyone in the audience will get.

Notice what these openings avoid: long thank-you lists, dense quotes, or abstract philosophy. In your own speech, try writing an opening that would still make sense if someone heard only the first 30 seconds on a social media clip.

How the middle stays interesting

In the middle of the speech, the best examples of examples of commencement address examples:

• Move between story and lesson instead of stacking all the advice at the end.
• Use transitions like “Here’s what I wish I’d known at your age…” or “Let me tell you about a time I got this wrong.”
• Keep paragraphs and ideas short, especially for virtual or recorded ceremonies.

If you find yourself writing long, abstract paragraphs about “the future” and “leadership,” go back to the examples above. Almost every memorable moment is tied to a specific scene, person, or decision.

How closings leave a mark

Strong closings in real examples of commencement address examples usually:

• Circle back to the opening story or image.
• Offer one clear line or phrase that people can repeat later.
• End on hope—not fake optimism, but a grounded belief in the graduates’ ability to handle hard things.

Think of Jobs’s “Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish.” or Obama’s call for graduates to embrace their responsibility in shaping democracy. Your version doesn’t have to be slogan-ready, but it should feel like a natural landing, not just “Well, that’s all I’ve got.”

Using these examples to write your own speech

Studying examples is helpful, but the goal is to turn them into something that sounds like you.

Here’s a simple way to do that:

Start by picking two or three of the best examples of commencement address examples from this article—maybe Jobs for structure, Oprah for honesty about failure, and a local student speaker for tone. For each one, answer these questions in a few sentences:

• What did I like about this speech?
• How did it make me feel as a listener?
• What specific technique could I borrow?

Then, outline your own talk using those techniques:

• Choose a three-part story structure, like Jobs.
• Include one clear moment of vulnerability, like Oprah.
• Use everyday language and concrete details, like a student speaker.

You’re not copying their words; you’re copying the moves they make. That’s how writers and speakers have always learned—by studying examples of examples of commencement address examples and then remixing them.

Quick sample opening inspired by these examples

To make this concrete, here’s a short sample opening that borrows from several of the speeches we’ve discussed:

“Four years ago, many of you walked onto this campus carrying more questions than confidence. You wondered if you’d picked the right major, if you’d find your people, if you could handle the workload. You probably didn’t wonder, ‘Will I have to finish college during a global crisis?’—but here you are. You logged into classes from bedrooms, break rooms, and back seats of cars. You learned to raise your hand with a button. And somewhere between the glitchy Wi-Fi and the group projects, you became the kind of people who can handle uncertainty. Today isn’t just about crossing a stage. It’s about recognizing that you’ve already done something hard—and you’re still standing.”

If you compare this to the real examples of commencement address examples above, you’ll see the shared DNA: specific details, acknowledgment of reality, and a clear emotional arc.

FAQ: examples of commencement address examples

What are some famous examples of commencement address examples I should study?
Steve Jobs at Stanford (2005), Oprah Winfrey at Harvard (2013), Barack Obama at Howard University (2016), Mindy Kaling at Dartmouth (2018), Taylor Swift at NYU (2022), and Beyoncé’s “Dear Class of 2020” virtual address are all widely cited and easy to find online.

Can I use quotes from these speeches in my own commencement address?
Yes, you can quote short sections as long as you clearly credit the speaker and, ideally, the occasion (for example, “As Steve Jobs told Stanford graduates in 2005…”). Don’t build your entire speech out of other people’s lines; use them as accents, not the main course.

What is an example of a strong opening line for a graduation speech?
A strong example of an opening might be: “When you started here, none of us knew that your sophomore year would be spent on mute.” It’s specific, timely, and immediately signals that you understand what the class has been through.

Do I have to be funny for my speech to work?
No. Many of the best examples of commencement address examples use humor, but not all. If jokes don’t come naturally to you, aim for warmth and clarity instead of forcing punchlines. A small, genuine smile is better than a big joke that falls flat.

Where can I find more real examples of commencement speeches to read?
University websites like Stanford, Harvard, and Howard often publish full transcripts. Searching a school’s name plus “commencement address transcript” is a good start. You can also find video versions on official YouTube channels, which helps you study delivery as well as wording.