Commencement Speakers 2012

<p>Haven't seen a thread for this yet - George Washington University will have Brian Williams. I haven't decided how I feel about that yet. Anyone else know who will be speaking at your student's school?</p>

<p>Oooh - Brian Williams! I’d enjoy hearing him speak.</p>

<p>The W&M commencement speaker will be Jim Lehrer. I expect him to give an excellent speech - looking forward to it.</p>

<p>Brian WIlliams spoke at Notre Dame last year–wonderful speech! GW won’t be disappointed.</p>

<p>Katie Couric will give the commencement address at UVa. As she’s an alum I’m sure it will be an amazing speech.</p>

<p>I thought I would be disappointed with son’s speaker last year since it was a couple who donated mega bucks but they were great people who gave a great speech (alternated speaking)- their kids should be proud of the lives they have lived. My message- don’t be disappointed if the proposed speaker doesn’t seem what you expect, they could be a hidden gem appropriate for your child’s school.</p>

<p>Saw this online:</p>

<p>The following colleges and universities have announced their commencement speakers for spring 2012:</p>

<p>■Duke University: Fareed Zakaria, the CNN anchor and Washington Post columnist.
■Loyola University Maryland: Rev. Greg Boyle, founder and chief executive officer of Homeboy Industries, the largest gang intervention program in the United States.
■Northeastern University: Colin Powell, the retired four star general and former U.S. secretary of state.
■Rice University: Salman Khan, founder of the Khan Academy.
■University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg.</p>

<p>“Author and journalist Michael Lewis, a 1982 Princeton graduate whose best-selling books include “Moneyball,” “The Blind Side” and “Liar’s Poker,” has been selected as the speaker for the University’s 2012 Baccalaureate ceremony.”</p>

<p>Kat</p>

<p>Smith College- Jane Lynch.</p>

<p>^more from the Five College Consortium:</p>

<p>Amherst: Anthony W. Marx (college president; that’s their tradition)
Mount Holyoke: Azar Nafisi
Hampshire: “coming soon”
University of Massachusetts: Ted Koppel</p>

<p>I am still waiting to hear about DS’s speaker. They usually have announced it by now.</p>

<p>Barnard College: President Obama</p>

<p>Stanford: Cory Booker mayor of Newark NJ</p>

<p>Tom Brokaw is the Senior Day speaker at Vanderbilt.</p>

<p>Rice is so lucky! I would love to hear him speak</p>

<p>Grinnell College - Jamaica Kincaid will be a 2012 speaker - Caribbean novelist and currently a Professor of Literature in Claremont McKenna College.
Interesting fact - she is the only one in the department who does not have a Ph.D or M.F.A. degree…In fact, she does not have any college degree at all…</p>

<p>Bucknell University, Class of 2012, is hosting Anna Quindlen for their Commencement on May 20.</p>

<p>Rice made a great choice, I would also love to hear him speak!</p>

<p>Lafayette just announced that Garry Marshall will be the commencement speaker for 2012.</p>

<p>Lisa Jackson, Andministrator of the EPA and former Tulane grad, will be speaking at Tulane’s graduation. That will be interesting, but I am sorry I missed the Ellen DeGeneres speech. It was hilarious (I watched the video).</p>

<p>Wesleyan chose Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), an alum.</p>

<p>Aaron Sorkin (creator of The West Wing, Sports Night, Studio 60; screenplays include A Few Good Men, The American President, The Social Network (where he won every award he was nominated for), Moneyball) will be Syracuse’s Commencement Speakee for 2012. </p>

<p>Let me just say how jealous I am. I wish Aaron Sorkin could write my life.</p>