Accelerated Learning Resources

Each spring colleges and universities in the United States have graduation ceremonies, where the students who have finished their studies celebrate the end of their time at their school. The ceremony is actually called a commencement, which means a beginning.  Students are ending their time in school, but beginning a new life as working adults (or living at their parents house and eating their food).

Most schools invite someone famous to give the commencement address (speech), in which the speaker gives the graduates advice on their next stage (period) in life.  This year, for example, the University of Southern California invited Stephen Ballmer from Microsoft, Columbia University invited former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan, and President Obama was invited to Miami Dade College. It has become popular in recent years for universities to invite comedians and actors to give speeches. A television comedian and actor, Amy Poehler, gave the address at Harvard, and actor Tom Hanks was the speaker at Yales commencement ceremonies.

So what were the graduates told this year?  Well, according to the New York Times, the words world, country, love, and service were more popular than money, happiness, or success. although Im not sure exactly what this signifies (means).

Do universities where you live have a similar tradition of commencement speakers? What sort of speakers are invited, and what kind of advice do they give?

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