I am your graduation's guest speaker... now what?
May 8, 2013 7:41 PM   Subscribe

I agreed to be the guest speaker at the graduation for a graduate-school program. Students, families, and teachers will be present, about 60 people total. All the grads are getting the same degree. I have a similar degree and now I work in the field which they will be (trying to) work in. (It's a competitive, low-paying field, and the students are well aware of that fact.) I do guest lectures all the time at university classes, sort of like career-day presentations, but I get the feeling I should be talking about big-picture stuff, be optimistic and empowering and inspiring or whatever. Thing is, I don't know how to do that, but I want to make sure the audience gets something useful from my speech. How do I best approach (and format) a 30 minute graduation speech? It's in 1 week.
posted by Jason and Laszlo to Education (17 answers total) 4 users marked this as a favorite
 
I remember one (and only one) line from my graduation that succinctly encapsulated our field in a funny way that I sometimes repeat to people who want to know what I like about it. I've always been grateful for that accessible summary.
posted by salvia at 7:50 PM on May 8, 2013


Cheat, maybe? How about you try scrounging up a graduation speech on Google Books or the Internet Archive from a hundred years ago when everybody went through tons of oratory and rhetoric training, then swap in analogous anecdotes and jokes that fit the 21st century better.

You could even explain what you did with a spiel about how the lines between "inspiration" and "cheating" blur a bit in the "real world", if that's true about your field.
posted by XMLicious at 7:55 PM on May 8, 2013


30 minutes seems awfully long for a graduation speaker, did they specifically tell you it should be that long?
posted by msbubbaclees at 8:08 PM on May 8, 2013 [2 favorites]


Response by poster: yes, 30 minutes! I'm sure they would be okay with a bit less...
posted by Jason and Laszlo at 8:11 PM on May 8, 2013


As someone who has coordinated a number of graduation ceremonies, I've noticed that there are three things that make a great/enjoyable graduation speaker:

1. S/he tells at least one good story. Two good stories is even better - a solid technique seems to be to share one humorous tale and one semi-serious/thought provoking story.

2. Briefer is better. Half an hour sounds like an incredibly long time. I ask our graduation speakers to plan for ten to fifteen minutes and then organize the rest of the ceremony around their keynote.

3. Even though they're sharing advice, anecdotes, etc., my favorite speakers (and the ones that students like best) are the ones who remember that the day is really about the graduates (and their families), about celebrating both an ending and a beginning. As salvia mentioned above, a pithy take away phrase never hurts either.

Good luck . . . you'll be great!
posted by WaspEnterprises at 8:12 PM on May 8, 2013 [5 favorites]


Yes, to add what others have said, you should focus on your shared love of this field and offer anecdotes and stories. Bonus points for funny or poignant stories if you have them. You can also put yourself in the shoes of these proud/anxious/uncertain graduates and report how you were at this stage of your career and what they can expect. Also, unless you are a dazzling speaker or have grade-A stories, do your audience a favor and don't use all of your time.
posted by Tallguy at 8:19 PM on May 8, 2013 [1 favorite]


Oh, and if at all possible, don't read the speech. It instantly makes most talks much less bearable. This is your life, your advice, and you shouldn't need to read it. If you talk to classes regularly, you should have the chops to pull this off with a little practice if you are inclined.
posted by Tallguy at 8:22 PM on May 8, 2013 [1 favorite]


I did a 20-ish minute graduation speech for a non-traditional graduate program near me. A MeFite suggested me and I am sure a lot of the other people didn't know who I was at all. I am, however, a decently successful graduate of an alternative college and I felt I had some advice. This is what I wrote. It went over pretty well and I still like to read it.

I was really nervous because I felt I was maybe totally not the right person to do this at all. But, realistically, I was who they had so I tried to make it matter. People want to feel like you get where they are coming from, that you have something worthwhile to share with them and that you will not waste their time because they have other things they want to do, so don't get to the point where people's attention drifts. Even better, outline what you are going to say so that people can be like "Oh now he is wrapping up"
posted by jessamyn at 8:25 PM on May 8, 2013 [3 favorites]


On themes: I think you can go one of two directions (or hell, with 30 minutes, hit both).

- Talk about why this field is so important, why the work is valuable, remind them why they're going for something that's so hard. This will hopefully help buck them up for the grueling job search/career ladder.

- Give them some tips for surviving in the field. Obviously, you don't want to be TOO dry, but if you're confident you can make this entertaining, it's a great service.
posted by lunasol at 8:26 PM on May 8, 2013


I agree with msbubbaclees. Thirty minutes is way too long. If you go thirty minutes, they only thing they'll take away from it is, man that was a long fucking speech, unless you're Robin Williams. When they said thirty minutes, I'm pretty sure they meant *up to* thirty minutes, if you're one of those people who likes to hear themselves talk but we sincerely hope you aren't. Make it just long enough so they feel like they got their money's worth.

And if the graduates are all aware, as you say, of the scarcity and undercompensation of employment in the field, I'd start with some black humor about it and save the inspiring bit for the very end.
posted by bricoleur at 8:51 PM on May 8, 2013 [1 favorite]


1. They are graduating, celebrate it.
2. Talk to them about the realities of their degree
3. Talk to them about the importance of persistence.
4. Personalize your experience that let you to get you to where you are.
5. Say something very funny.
6. Tell them about something hard that you overcame.
7. Talk to them about making their own way with their degree.
8. Challenge them to be successful.
9. Congratulate them and wish them well.
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:58 PM on May 8, 2013 [1 favorite]


Do not do what the guest speaker did at my graduation. He confidently told my entire graduating class that we were all mistakes and that our parents likely hadn't wanted us, and that very few of us would ever be as successful as him (though ironically not a single person in the audience had any idea who he was, he was that much of a nobody).

Instead, applaud the efforts of everyone graduating, congratulate them on taking one of many big steps towards realizing their dreams, encourage them to keep working as hard as they did to get to graduation, and above all else, keep it all very, very short. Seriously take up only 10 minutes. If you have to tell a story, make sure it has a pleasant, happy ending, or a wry, funny one, but do not tell anything off color or inside-joke-y, no matter how tempted you are. Just focus on why you're happy that this crew of students is joining the ranks, and go from there.
posted by These Birds of a Feather at 9:25 PM on May 8, 2013


I'd aim for 20 minutes. That's more reasonable. The valedictorian at the high school I worked at about 10 years ago brought a towel on stage with him. He biffed his speech, but I knew what he was going for.

Be upbeat, don't mention how hard it's going to be to find work; do encourage the graduates to get out there and make history.

Graduations are a complete drag, I'd have skipped mine, but I promised my sister we'd sit together and she was on crutches. The faster we can get through it, the faster we can get to the family celebration.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:59 AM on May 9, 2013


The keys to a good graduation speech:

1. Short.
2. Do not talk about yourself very much.
3. Congratulatory.
3. Short.
posted by jtfowl0 at 6:43 AM on May 9, 2013


As others noted, 30 minutes is hella long. However, the organizers may be counting on you to fill that time for logistical reasons (e.g., so they can set up for whatever comes next). So what if you used part of your time to get some participation from the class and maybe even their assembled friends and families? Kind of like a series of spontaneous toasts at a reception so people could tell stories, share memories, express pride, thank colleagues, professors, etc.? You would prepare bookend remarks and some posing questions to prime the pump-- maybe tip off a few folks so you have people to call on right away who will do well. This would make your presentation clearly about the graduates and I guarantee it would be memorable.
posted by carmicha at 7:08 AM on May 9, 2013


Aim for 15 minutes, not 30! Good God. Everyone will thank you.

I think it's OK and in fact desirable to tell stories about yourself or about people you admire. The two best graduation speeches I've ever seen (and I have been to quite a few at this point) were given by Bill Nye the Science Guy at the 1998 Caltech commencement, and by one of my fellow students at my medical school graduation. The only thing I remember vividly from those speeches were the stories they told--Nye told a story about being a junior engineer and designing an airplane part for Boeing, and my friend told a story that began with an episode of nervous vomiting on his first day as a student in the pediatric ICU and ended with his decision to become a pediatrician.

The common thread was that both stories really captured 1) the initial difficulty of becoming competent at their chosen field, 2) the sense of accomplishment and joy they felt when they realized they were beginning to contribute meaningfully to it, and 3) the sense of joining a larger community that is passionate about the things they care about. I think those are all good topics for a graduation.
posted by The Elusive Architeuthis at 7:15 AM on May 9, 2013


Try to keep it to one theme or topic. The worst graduation speeches go on an on and on, trying to impart every piece of advice they can think of, and it's worse if they are reading from a piece of paper.

I have been to a lot of graduation ceremonies, and the best ones could be best summed up as a sort of, "This is a thing I have learned in my career that I wish everyone knew about. This is what I want you to learn from it." It should ideally be based on one good anecdote. Think of TED talks where they sum up some interesting research they did, but then expand upon it to life in general.

Because you have to keep in mind that there are more people in the room who have nothing to do with this career/research than do. And the ones who are graduating just want to get their diploma and go to dinner.

Also, congratulate them, but don't overdo that either, because the Dean and other speakers are likely to use their whole speeches doing just that.

Good luck!
posted by theuninvitedguest at 3:01 PM on May 9, 2013


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