10 graduation speeches which pumped up students for real life

Graduation is the first step. Once that’s done, then it’s figuring out what on earth you’re going to do for Step 2.

It helps to be told that at least some people have figured out what those next steps look like. With that in mind, here are 10 notable commencement speakers by people who have figured out what to do after (or during) college.

1. President Barack Obama, Howard University, 2016

2. Elizabeth Holmes (Theranos CEO, youngest female billionaire), Pepperdine University, 2015

3. Lin-Manuel Miranda (creator of Hamilton, actor, composer), Wesleyan University, 2015

4. Bill Nye (science guy) – University of Massachusetts Lowell, 2014

5. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (writer, MacArthur Genius Grant recipient) – Wellesley College, 2015

6. Charlie Day (actor, comedian) – Merrimack College, 2014

7. Zadie Smith (writer, author of White Teeth), New School, 2015

8. Robert De Niro (actor, producer), NYU Tisch School of the Arts, 2015

9. Sarah Abushaar (undergraduate speaker), Harvard University, 2014

10. John Lasseter (Director of Toy Story, Pixar CCO), Savannah College of Art and Design, 2015

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