Celebrity Speakers for College Commencements in 2018
As college graduation season begins to approach, one thing that can always be counted on is [...]
Sterling K. Brown
Where he will be speaking: Stanford University on June 15
Most well-known for his role on the hit series This is Us, Stanford University alum Sterling K. Brown will return to his alma mater this year to deliver the graduation commencement speech.
prevnextMichael Keaton
Where he will be speaking: Kent State University on May 12.
Michael Keaton has captivated and cracked up audiences for years with films from Birdman to Multiplicity.
This year, he returns to Kent State, where he previously studied speech before dropping out, to deliver a speech to the graduating class.
Interestingly, in the past Keaton has been a "visiting scholar" at Carnegie Mellon University.
prevnextLady Antebellum’s Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood
Where they will be speaking: University of Georgia on May 4
Before staring Lady Antebellum with Hillary Scott, both Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood graduated from the University of Georgia, with Kelley earning a degree in finance.
They will return to the college together to deliver a commencement speech.
prevnextApple CEO Tim Cook
Where he will be speaking: Duke University on May 13
Tim Cook was born and raised in Mobile, Alabama before going on to graduate with an Bachelors degree from Auburn University and an MBA from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business.
Cook will return to Duke to deliver this years commencement speech to the graduates.
prevnextOprah Winfrey
Where she will be speaking: USC Annenberg on May 11
Prior to becoming a multimedia mogul, Oprah Winfrey graduated from Tennessee State University in Nashville, Tennessee.
This year, she will make an appearance at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism to send off the graduating class with what is sure to be an empowering speech.
prevnextJimmy Carter
Where he will be speaking: Liberty University on May 19
Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter is an alumni of both the Georgia Institute of Technology, as well as the United States Naval Academy.
While he has likely delivered numerous college commencement speeches throughout his lifetime, this year he will be giving one at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia.
prevnextQueen Latifah and Anita Hill
Where they will be speaking: Rutgers University on May 14
Queen Latifah (real name: Dana Elaine Owens) graduated from Irvington High School in the 1980s and went on to become a massively influential musician and actress.
Anita Hill is a U.S. attorney and university professor who graduated from both Oklahoma State University and Yale Law School.
Both women will take the stage at Rutgers' 2018 graduation to deliver speeches to the exiting class.
prevnextJosh Groban
Where he will be speaking: High Point University on June 5
Josh Groban became a worldwide pop-opera phenomenon in the early 2000s when his hit song "You Raise Me Up" took over the radio airwaves.
Before that, however, Groban briefly attended Carnegie Mellon University to study musical theater. This year, the singer will speak to the graduating class at High Point University in North Carolina.
prevnextLindsay Lohan
Where she will be speaking: Harvard Law School
Lohan herself did not attend college, as she was very busy with her acting career from a young age.
She recently announced, however, that Harvard Law has asked her "to speak at their graduation commencement ceremony."
"I'm really really honored and I couldn't be happier," she said in an Instagram video.
prevnextOther Upcoming Celebrity Commencement Speeches
Hillary Clinton - Yale on May 21
Alexander Payne - University of Nebraska-Lincoln on May 5
ESPN anchor Hannah Storm - University of Portland on May 6
Hidden Figures author Margot Lee Shetterly - Worcester Polytechnic Institute on May 10
U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris - UC Berkeley on May 12
NBC News anchor Andrea Mitchell - University of Pennsylvania on May 14
Sheryl Sandberg - Massachusetts Institute of Technology on June 8
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