What This Year’s Graduation Speeches Got Right (and painfully wrong)

Whew! The graduation season is over. When good, great, and bad graduation speeches are delivered across the country, some even making top headlines. I have had the opportunity to attend some college graduations over recent years, both as an alumni board president and as a parent or extended family member.  Some of the speeches were good, and others were exceptionally painful to listen to.

As a public speaking coach, I love exploring the internet for the latest graduation speeches, hoping to be inspired by new speakers. One of my favorite speeches this year was simple and down-to-earth, given by former Seattle Seahawks player Bobby Wagner as he received an honorary doctorate at his alma mater, Utah State University. It was authentic, featured a few great stories, was not sugarcoated, and yet left students feeling encouraged and inspired.  

Watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3o3Gz6fw9Q8

And then there are other speakers this year, including several who were booed off the stage for not reading the room while preaching to graduates about the bright future of Artificial Intelligence. Others relied solely on AI to craft cold, impersonal, and inauthentic speeches that graduates immediately recognized as AI-generated. And I won’t even get into speeches that were canceled before they were delivered…

A few of this year’s graduation speaker flops
https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/former-google-ceo-booed-graduation-speech-ai-rcna345585
https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/may/12/florida-students-boo-graduation-speaker-ai

Whether you’re doing a keynote speech or a workplace presentation, keep a few things in mind:

• Do your homework. It is critical that you identify who will be sitting in the audience, what the event planners’ objectives are, and what sensitivities the audience might ha
• Don’t make it all about you and your incredible life. Share your authentic self and a few challenges and triumphs, but don’t make it all about yourself. Offer an inspiring takeaway for the future and honor the support systems that helped the graduate get to where they are today.
• Match the audience’s energy and read the room. Interpret the audience’s mood and engagement level. If something looks off, such as heads in the phone or angry faces, be prepared to adapt and pivot. (By the way, doing your homework before the event can help with this tremendously.)
• Finally, keep it brief. Less is more. Speakers who speak less than their allotted time make people happy.  

While graduation season was busy, I had the pleasure of facilitating and speaking at several events. See what I’ve been up to over the spring season:

Facilitating seven meetings across the state to gather input on energy policy.
Learn More: https://arrowheadcenter.nmsu.edu/program/new_mexico_comprehensive_energy_transition_strategy/index.html

Speaking to a group of young professionals on improving their speaking skills.
https://www.facebook.com/NMPRSA/posts/speak-with-confidence-elevate-your-impactjoin-amy-miller-apr-president-of-amm-co/1556655516465043/