RoundUP: Best 2023 Commencement Speeches

We put together a list of the most inspiring commencement speeches to celebrate the graduating class of 2023.

Which one do you like the most? What other speeches should we add to the list? Let us know in the comments below.

Angela Bassett, Chapman University

Tom Hanks, Harvard University

Anthony Fauci, Washington University MD

Usher, Berklee College of Music

Sheryl Lee Ralph, Rutgers University

Oprah, Tennessee State University

Ketanji Brown Jackson, Boston University School of Law

Sanna Marin, Fmr Prime Minister of Finland, New York University

Bill Gates, Northern Arizona University

CJ McCollum, Lehigh University.

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In addition to Dr. Fauci, WashU had award winning actor Sterling K. Brown.

@CasablancaFan, I saw that. I just didn’t find a recording on YouTube to add to the list. :disappointed:

Senator Chuck Schumer gave an amusing commencement speech at Binghamton University. His daughter is a Bing grad.
48:00 mark.

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I was lucky enough to be in person for David Foster Wallace’s 2005 speech at Kenyon, which later became the book “This is Water.” An amazing speech…though sad in light of his story. I still reread the speech from time to time and always find it inspiring.

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That is an amazing book!

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Writer, actor and comedian Patton Oswalt (Spence from King of Queens) had three words for the 2023 grads at William & Mary. “You poor bastards.”

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Here’s Mark Rober’s entertaining 2023 MIT Commencement address.

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Google Jimmy Tingle Harvard Commencement. Oldie but goodie. So funny! I tried to link but had no luck.

Came across another great speech delivered by John McEnroe at Stanford:

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This is THE best one I’ve heard…delivered by a student! Well worth the listen.

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I’m not exactly impartial (my daughter is headed there this fall), but I watched Randall Park’s speech at UCLA on youtube and he was fantastic.