outline for writing a graduation speech

How to Write and Deliver a Memorable Graduation Speech: Tips, Examples, and Techniques

• The Speaker Lab
• March 7, 2024

Table of Contents

The goal of any graduation speech is to find words that capture the essence of years spent learning and growing. Today, we’ll guide you through that process and help you craft a memorable graduation speech . You’ll learn to weave gratitude with shared experiences, and balance humor with wisdom. We’ll even help you find quotes that strike a chord and deliver them in a way that resonates.

But that’s not all! Dive into proven strategies for public speaking , managing stage fright , and drawing inspiration from iconic commencement speeches. Discover how personal growth stories add depth to your message and explore themes that leave a lasting impact on your peers as they step forward into new beginnings.

Crafting Your Graduation Speech: A Step-by-Step Guide

When it comes to marking the end of your high school or university journey, a graduation speech can capture the essence of this pivotal moment. But how do you start such an important address?

Opening with Impact

The first words of your graduation speech are crucial. They set the stage for what’s to come and grab your audience’s attention. Think about starting strong by sharing a personal anecdote that ties into the broader experience of your class or drawing from Steve Jobs’ Stanford University commencement speech , where he began with, “Today I want to tell you three stories from my life.” This technique instantly piques interest because it promises narratives that have shaped who you are.

An impactful opening also acknowledges shared experiences. Perhaps you could reflect on how moments in classrooms turned strangers into lifelong friends. Or for university commencements, consider touching upon those late-night study sessions that tested perseverance but ultimately led to academic achievements worth celebrating today.

Building the Body of Your Graduation Speech

In crafting the body content, intertwine lessons learned throughout high school years or during university courses with aspirations for what lies ahead. For instance, share how overcoming obstacles like balancing extracurricular activities and academics taught valuable time management skills.

To add depth, incorporate quotes from luminaries like Oprah Winfrey or draw parallels between classroom learnings and real-world applications. Dive deeper by discussing milestones achieved together as a graduating class and recognizing the hard work everyone put in to make it to this monumental occasion.

Concluding with Inspiration

Your conclusion should leave fellow graduates feeling inspired while helping them celebrate high school memories one last time—or honor those unforgettable college years if addressing higher education grads.

Closing remarks could include heartfelt gratitude towards teachers’ support and parental guidance. You might even crack a joke or two. It’s these personalized touches paired with universal truths that resonate most deeply as students step forward into new chapters post-graduation.

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Delivery Techniques for Confident Speaking

Standing in front of a crowd can turn even the most composed student into a bundle of nerves. But fear not, with some smart strategies, you’ll be able to channel your inner orator and deliver your graduation speech with confidence.

Practicing Your Graduation Speech

Becoming familiar with every word of your speech is key. Rehearse it out loud until the words feel like second nature. This practice does more than just help you remember what comes next; it lets you find the natural rhythm and pace of your delivery. Consider recording yourself to catch any quirks or stumbling blocks—you might be surprised at how much this helps refine your presentation.

A trick often overlooked is practicing in different environments. If possible, stand on the actual stage where you will deliver your commencement address. Familiarity breeds comfort, making that once daunting podium seem like an old friend when graduation day arrives.

Overcoming Nervousness and Stage Fright

Nervousness is normal but doesn’t let it dictate your performance. Before stepping up to speak, take deep breaths to steady yourself—a calm body encourages a calm mind. An effective method for easing anxiety is visualization. Imagine delivering each line perfectly and receiving an enthusiastic response from listeners—envisioning success can make it so.

Maintaining Eye Contact

The power of eye contact cannot be overstated. It connects speaker and listener on a personal level that amplifies engagement significantly. Scan across different sections of the audience periodically without lingering too long on any one individual.

Incorporate these techniques diligently when preparing for the big day. In doing so, they become part of muscle memory and help build confidence. With confidence and plenty of practice on your side, your graduation speech is sure to conclude to applause leaving you to celebrate yet another milestone achieved.

Analyzing Renowned Graduation Speeches for Inspiration

When crafting a commencement speech , it’s often helpful to look at the giants whose words have echoed through auditoriums and across campuses. Steve Jobs’ Stanford University Commencement Speech is a classic example of weaving life lessons into an address that connects deeply with graduates. Similarly, Oprah Winfrey’s Harvard University Commencement Address showed how stumbling blocks can become stepping stones if we learn from them.

Steve Jobs’ Storytelling Mastery

Jobs had a knack for turning personal anecdotes into universal truths. In his Stanford address, he shared three stories from his own life without sounding self-indulgent. These stories worked because each one carried a broader message relevant to every graduate: finding what you love, dealing with loss, and facing death head-on. Jobs famously urged students to “stay hungry, stay foolish,” encouraging them not just to pursue success but remain curious about life despite challenges. This advice is especially poignant for today’s graduating class.

Like Jobs, you too can craft narratives around moments that speak volumes about perseverance and passion.

Oprah’s Unflinching Honesty

Much like her television persona suggests, Oprah did not shy away from discussing her setbacks in front of Harvard’s graduating class. Instead, she confidently laid bare the challenges faced by anyone who dares greatly because failure is part of achieving greatness. As she reminded students, “It doesn’t matter how far you might rise… At some point you are bound to stumble.”

In doing so she forged an instant connection with listeners grappling with their fears about what the future holds post-graduation. It was a powerful reminder that even icons like Oprah are not immune to trials but emerge stronger through them.

The power behind these speeches lies not just in their content but also in their delivery. These speakers mastered the art of speaking confidently before crowds, maintaining eye contact, and conveying authenticity—techniques any speaker should aspire to replicate on graduation day.

Themes and Messages That Resonate with Graduates

Facing a sea of caps and gowns, the right words can turn a graduation ceremony from mundane to memorable. When crafting your commencement speech, focusing on themes like overcoming obstacles and perseverance connects deeply with graduates who have hurdled high school or college challenges.

Overcoming Obstacles

Talking about stumbling blocks is not just relatable; it’s inspirational. Think Steve Jobs at Stanford University or Oprah Winfrey at Harvard—both shared personal tales of setbacks turned into comebacks. Beyond simply telling their stories, they showed how those hurdles were stepping stones to success.

Weave your narrative around the potholes you’ve navigated during your high school years. This doesn’t mean airing every bit of dirty laundry, just highlighting that one significant moment where everything seemed against you yet failed to defeat you.

The Power of Perseverance

Perseverance is more than sticking to something—it’s pushing forward when every fiber wants to quit. It resonates because everyone, including your fellow graduates, has felt that urge to give up but chose to persevere instead.

Incorporate this theme by using vivid examples that mirror collective experiences—the all-nighters before exams or balancing sports stars ambitions with academics—to illustrate perseverance isn’t just an idea but lived reality for many students.

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Life Lessons Shared During Graduation Speeches

In addition to sharing content that fellow graduates will find relatable and inspirational, you should also consider sharing life lessons with your audience. Whether young or old, everyone has a unique perspective on life and sharing your wisdom can steer graduates toward a fulfilling path.

The Power of Kindness

Making a positive impact doesn’t require grand gestures; sometimes it’s found in small acts of kindness or an innovative idea that simplifies lives. This message sticks because everyone wants their work to mean something—to know they’ve left footprints on society’s vast canvas.

True Grit and Tenacity

Embracing failure and resilience is another powerful theme echoed by commencement speakers across podiums. Let’s face it; not all endeavors lead straight to success. But as Oprah Winfrey once said during her Harvard University commencement address, “It doesn’t matter how far you might rise… At some point, you are bound to stumble.” Her words remind us: How we pick ourselves up matters more than how we fall.

Making a Positive Impact

A graduating class stands poised on tomorrow’s threshold ready to mold history—and speeches should fuel this transformative fire within them. Memorable graduation speeches show individuals that ovation-worthy achievements are possible if you believe your actions count.

As you prepare your graduation speech, consider including one of these life lessons or one of your own. Don’t be afraid to share your hard-won insights to your fellow graduates—you just might inspire them to make history.

Celebrating Achievements and Acknowledging Contributions

Graduation is not just a ceremony. It’s a tribute to the academic achievements and extracurricular activities that have shaped students into who they are. The acknowledgment of teacher support and parental guidance also plays a pivotal role in these speeches, as they’re the scaffolding upon which student successes are built.

Academic Achievements, Extracurricular Activities

Acknowledging academic prowess goes beyond GPA scores or honor societies; it’s about highlighting unique intellectual journeys. Similarly, shining a light on extracurricular triumphs—be it sports stars setting records or artists winning competitions—adds depth to your speech. Remembering these moments isn’t merely recounting victories but celebrating the relentless spirit of your fellow graduates.

Diving deeper into personal anecdotes helps you connect with peers by reminding them of their growth through challenges faced together—from late-night study sessions to championship games. It’s these stories that make graduation memories stick with classmates long after commencement ends.

Teacher Support, Parental Guidance

The unsung heroes behind every graduate deserve their moment in your address too. Teachers’ dedication can turn classrooms into launch pads for dreams, while parents’ unwavering belief often fuels aspirations during tumultuous times like the pandemic.

In weaving tales of mentorship from teachers or wisdom imparted by parents, you remind everyone that success is rarely a solo act—it’s supported by many hands and hearts along the way. Celebrate this collective effort because each person has contributed uniquely to shaping graduating classes across America, including yours.

Common Issues in Writing and Delivering Graduation Speeches

Staring at a blank page as the clock ticks down to graduation day can rattle even the most seasoned speech writers. Overcoming writer’s block is about finding your message stick—the core idea that you want to leave with your peers. Remember, this isn’t just any talk; it’s one that marks a significant transition for both you and your audience.

Overcoming Writer’s Block

Finding yourself stumped on how to write a speech ? Don’t sweat it. Start by jotting down memories from school years or powerful life lessons that resonate. Think of Steve Jobs’ Stanford University commencement speech where he shared personal stories, which became an inspirational backbone for many other speeches.

If inspiration doesn’t strike immediately, step away from the computer. Take a walk and reflect on high school experiences or browse through commencement speeches archives—like Lin-Manuel Miranda’s address at the University of Pennsylvania. They might spark ideas you hadn’t considered yet.

Navigating Technical Troubles

A great speech can stumble over technical hiccups. To avoid glitches, check all equipment beforehand—a simple but crucial task often overlooked due to nerves or excitement about graduating class celebrations.

Prior rehearsals will also let you handle these issues like a pro should they pop up during delivery. Make sure any videos or slides complement rather than overshadow what you’re saying. After all, graduates aren’t there for bells and whistles—they’re there for meaningful words.

Handling Stage Fright

Your knees may shake thinking delivering in front of proud parents and peers—it’s no small feat, after all. Before you step on stage, visual your success until it feels more real and attainable.

And don’t forget to watch your body language . During your speech, maintain eye contact—not stare-downs—to connect genuinely with fellow students. And if anxiety creeps up despite practice sessions? Take deep breaths to steady yourself and keep going. You’ve handled high school—you can handle this.

FAQs on Writing and Delivering a Graduation Speech

What do i say in my graduation speech.

Share heartfelt stories, acknowledge support from others, and inspire your classmates to chase their dreams boldly.

How do you write a 3 minute graduation speech?

Keep it tight: hit the high notes with gratitude, shared memories, a dash of humor, and wrap up with punchy inspiration.

How do I start a graduation speech?

Kick off with thanks. Give props to family and mentors. Set the stage for reflecting on past adventures together.

What is the most important message of a graduation speech?

The core should spark hope—urge peers to leap into tomorrow equipped with lessons learned during these formative years.

Master your moment with a graduation speech that turns heads and warms hearts. Remember the power of gratitude and connect with your audience through stories, those shared adventures that bind you to your classmates. Don’t be afraid to add a few jokes and quotes to your speech either, as well as personal growth stories to inspire.

When you hit the stage, stand tall, make eye contact, and speak from your heart—the podium’s yours. If butterflies invade, breathe deep and know everyone’s rooting for you. Writer’s block didn’t stop you and neither will this.

Your graduation speech is not just words—it’s a battle cry for your graduating class as you prepare to conquer what lies ahead!

• Last Updated: March 5, 2024

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• TemplateLab

Graduation Speech Examples

50 top graduation speech ideas (& examples).

Try to search online and you’ll find a lot of graduation speech examples. If you’re in charge of giving a speech during this important event, you have the choice of whether to compose a long or short graduation speech. As long as you’re able to convey your message, the length isn’t that relevant.

Table of Contents

• 1 Graduation Speech Examples
• 2 What should you write about in your graduation speech?
• 3 Graduation Speech Outlines
• 4 Structuring your graduation speech
• 5 Graduation Speech Templates
• 6 High School Graduation Speech
• 7 Tips for writing graduation speech
• 8 College Graduation Speech

What should you write about in your graduation speech?

Most people wonder what to write for their graduation speech examples. Whether you need to compose a high school graduation speech example or a college graduation speech example, you must put a lot of careful thought and consideration into the contents of your speech.

In the past, writing a graduation speech template wasn’t that intimidating. But now, you should remember that there’s a high likelihood that the people present at the event will post your speech on social media sites such as Facebook and YouTube. This makes it imperative that you compose a speech that’s effective, interesting, and won’t end up offending anyone.

A lot of incredible speakers start their speech-writing process by creating an outline. So, if you want to come up with a great speech, you may want to start off with a graduation speech outline . Here, you include everything you want to include in your speech. From there, writing becomes easier.

Graduation Speech Outlines

Structuring your graduation speech

When it comes to the structure of your graduation speech, you have a few options to choose from. As you create your graduation speech outline, you’re giving it a structure for you to follow when it’s time to start writing.

You may create a long or short graduation speech depending on how much you want to say and how long you want to stand in front of the graduating class. You can even create a graduation speech template using the structure of your choice. This makes it easier for you for the next time you need to come up with a speech.

If you have no idea where to start, you may go online and read high school graduation speech examples or college graduation speech examples. Use these as your reference or for your inspiration as you write your speech.

Graduation Speech Templates

Either way, these examples will be a great help to you if it’s your first time to compose such a speech. To guide you, here are some structures to follow for your graduation speech:

• Use a few themes which you illustrate with non-fictional or personal stories For this type of speech, you can use a couple of themes which you introduce early in your speech. From reaching their dreams of finding their own place in the world, there are so many themes to choose from. Then illustrate these themes further using non-fictional examples or stories from your personal life.
• Use several themes which you illustrate with short anecdotes or personal stories For this structure, you come up with a number of themes for your audiences. But instead of sharing those themes at the start of your speech, you share short anecdotes or personal stories which illustrate those themes. Then you give helpful advice to your audience to help them in their future endeavors. However, this structure isn’t ideal for short graduation speeches. Since you’re going to use several themes, this means that your speech would be relatively long. Therefore, it’s probably a good idea to use this for a college graduation speech, not one for a high school graduation .
• Use an autobiographical narrative If you plan to use this structure for your graduation speech examples, it means that you want to open up and share more details about your life to your audience. It’s sort of like a mini-memoir wherein the audience learns a lot about the experiences you’ve had in your personal life. As you share these experiences, you also share a lot of life lessons with them. Although you don’t give advice directly at the beginning of your speech, you would incorporate these little bits of advice throughout your speech. Talk about your own experiences after graduation, how you dealt with the real world, and how you overcame different kinds of challenges.
• Use the main theme and some personal references Finally, you can also structure your speech in such a way that you’re leading up to one main theme or point. A lot of people find this structure to be extremely difficult to put together because they feel like it’s too limited. But as long as you create a graduation speech outline, following this structure won’t be that much of a challenge.

High School Graduation Speech

Tips for writing graduation speech

Whether you’re representing the graduation class or you’re asked to come and give a speech to the graduating class, you have to come up with your own graduation speech. The good news is that there are a lot of graduation speech examples which you can use as a reference.

Writing a graduation speech doesn’t have to be a difficult task. As long as you have an idea of what to write and you know what you want to say to the graduating class, the words will start flowing from your mind. But if you need some help, here are some tips to guide you:

• Brainstorming Any great speech starts with a brainstorming session. You can begin by asking yourself what you want to write in your speech. If you’re the representative of the graduating class, then think about all of the learning and experiences you’ve gained throughout your education. If they asked you to speak for the graduating class, then think about the advice you want to share to them in order to inspire them and somehow prepare them for what’s to come. Brainstorming involves a lot of thought, especially about the future. There’s nothing wrong with talking about the past and the present but since you’ll speak to a graduating class, talking about the future is much more relevant. As you think about the things to say, write everything down on a piece of paper. Later on, you can review your ideas to see which ones to keep and which ones to remove from your speech.
• Choosing a theme After your brainstorming session, you’d have a lot of ideas, stories, and advice to share to your audience. Now it’s time to begin shaping all of these into one coherent speech. To do this, you may want to think about the theme to focus on for your speech. Whether you want to choose a single theme or a collection of themes which you will link with one another, this step makes speech writing easier. Also, having a theme makes the speech more memorable and impactful to the audience. With a theme, you’ll also be able to sort through the things you’ve written down more effectively only choosing the ones which relate to your theme.
• Building the structure After you’ve identified the theme, you can start building the structure of your graduation speech. Here are some steps to help you out: Make sure that your introductory statement grabs the attention of your audience right away. In other words, get the audience “hooked” from the beginning so they will feel compelled to listen to your entire speech. Illustrate the theme you’ve chosen by telling stories. Keep in mind that the best stories always have a beginning with a challenge or obstacle, a middle where you share how you overcame it, and an end where you discussed how this experience helped you grow. For the end of your speech, tie together all of the points you’ve discussed throughout your speech. Also, make it clear how your message applies to your audience. You may also share valuable advice to your audience in the conclusion of your speech.
• Practicing your delivery Even after you’ve written your speech, the work doesn’t end there. You also have to deliver it to the graduating class. For a lot of people, this part is a lot more intimidating, especially for those who aren’t used to speaking in front of an audience. Here are some pointers for you: If you’ve created a short graduation speech, you may want to try memorizing it. This helps you focus on your delivery to make it more personable. Don’t speak too fast even when you’re feeling nervous. Try practicing in front of friends and family so you can learn how to consciously slow down your speaking rate. Once in a while, pause during the delivery of your speech. You can either pause to emphasize your point or to give the audience some time to consider what you’ve said. If you want to keep your audience engaged, make eye contact. Don’t feel stressed or stop if you make any mistake. Just continue with your speech.
• Other tips for you Don’t forget to thank everyone who helped you on your journey. If you aren’t part of the graduating class, thank the person who invited you to give the speech. Be as lively and enthusiastic as possible when delivering your speech. If it’s your first time to deliver a speech, practice again and again. Have fun with it! Feeling stressed won’t help.

College Graduation Speech

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10 Steps For Writing An Unforgettable Graduation Speech

• Pick A Theme
• Begin With Gratitude
• Motivational Quotes
• Get Personal
• Add Your Personality
• Avoid Cliches
• Create A Call To Action

School is almost out, but for many students, there’s one more major task to complete before summer: graduation. Whether you’re graduating from high school or earning a college degree, a graduation ceremony is a huge milestone. And, if you’ve been asked to speak at graduation, you might be feeling the pressure right now.

Graduation speeches of all kinds date back to at least the 1600s, and though a lot has changed since then, these kinds of speeches still contain similar key elements that help make them effective, inspiring, and something every graduating student and their loved ones look forward to.

Public speaking can be nerve-racking in any setting, particularly when you know the audience is filled with people’s cousins and grandparents who are likely to remember this day forever, but fear not! We’re here to help with these 10 key steps to follow to write and deliver a truly unforgettable graduation speech.

1. Pick a theme.

If you want the audience to feel moved and inspired by your speech (Who doesn’t, right?), then it helps to build your speech around a central theme or message. Think about what’s important to you as the speaker and what you’d like others to take away from your words. Once you have a theme, it will be easier to select the quotes and anecdotes that tie back to that central idea and create a speech that leaves your audience in awe.

🎓 Here are some popular themes to consider:

• Embracing failure.
• Overcoming adversity.
• The importance of having big dreams.
• Facing change with grace.
• Taking responsibility for your future.
• Learning from past mistakes.
• The importance of friendship.
• Becoming a lifelong learner.

2. Begin with gratitude.

When you step up to the mic on graduation day, you’ll need to begin with a few formalities. First, thank the previous speakers, as well as everyone in attendance. Then, express your feelings about the privilege of being asked to address the audience on this momentous occasion. Go ahead and write this part down so you don’t forget to do it on the big day. Here are some examples:

Thank you, [name of previous speaker], and thank you, friends, family, faculty, and fellow graduates for being here today. It’s an honor to celebrate this milestone with you as your valedictorian.

Thank you, [name of previous speaker]. Graduates, loved ones, and distinguished faculty members, it is an honor to be here with you today. I’m so grateful to [name of school or university] for the privilege of being your [type of speaker].

3. Use a motivational quote.

The greatest commencement speeches typically include a motivational quote, whether it’s from a famous person, a beloved teacher, or something your grandfather taught you. The right motivational quote will tie into your theme and serve as a thesis statement for the message you hope the audience will take from your words. Consider these celebrity quotes from other powerful commencement speeches:

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice.” — Steve Jobs , Stanford University, 2005

“You must lead. You’re never too young to lead. You’re never too old to lead. We need your leadership now more than ever before.” — John Lewis , Harvard, 2018

“The day you graduate, you do not arrive. This is not the end. This is the beginning for you. To graduate is to change gradually.” — Rita Moreno , Northeastern Illinois University, 2015

“Ultimately, your life is made up of moments. So don’t miss them by being lost in the past or anticipating the future.” — Jessica Lange , Sarah Lawrence College, 2008

“You are full of complexities and wonders that haven’t even begun to surface. Life’s unpredictability will draw these out and what defines you now will be mere shades and hues of a more vibrant you over the next five, 10, 50 years. Honestly, I can’t think of anything more liberating than that, knowing that life will look differently than you think it will.” — Octavia Spencer , Kent State University, 2017

4. Get personal.

When Conan O’Brien delivered the commencement speech at Dartmouth University in 2011, he talked about being fired from his dream job and what that failure taught him. Some lauded it as one of the best graduation speeches of all time.

Sharing personal anecdotes, even ones that mention failures or humiliations, is a powerful way to connect with your audience and drive your message home in a personal way. When writing your speech, draw on your experiences as a student and be clear about how those experiences shaped and prepared you for what lies ahead.

Learn how to a sensational graduation card here.

5. Infuse your personality.

Graduation speeches may follow a formula, but that doesn’t mean they need to be boring! Use your personal sense of humor, unique story, and life experiences to give the speech character and charm. What does this look like in action?

In 2016, author John Green brought levity to his commencement speech when shared with the graduating class at Kenyon College that the best life advice he ever got was, “You’re a good kid, but you need to learn when to stop talking.”

At the University of Virginia in 2016, late night host Stephen Colbert joked that people should leave their cell phones on because “I wouldn’t want you to miss a text or a tweet while I’m giving my speech.”

You may not be a famous comedian or author, but being uniquely yourself can help your speech shine.

6. Reflect, then look ahead.

You and the rest of your graduating class are sharing a major life milestone, and you’ve all worked hard to get to this point. What has life been like during your years in school? What experiences have you shared, and how have those shaped you as people moving forward into the next phase of your life?

In your speech, include real-life examples of the things you’ve faced in your time as students. Put those events in context in your life, and remind your audience that you have all learned so much more than just what was on the course syllabi.

7. Avoid clichés

The tricky part of writing a graduation speech is being inspiring without resorting to clichés. If you use personal anecdotes and weave personality into your speech, it’s unlikely that you’ll fall back on tired, overused statements. But, sometimes they still sneak in. If that’s the case, try to swap them out with a fresher take.

Here are some ideas:

• Instead of talking about the “real world” as a future destination, talk about how you already live there and you’re ready for whatever life throws at you.
• Instead of defining a typical graduation word (like courage or future ), talk about the words that come to mind when you think about school and what they mean to you.
• Instead of talking about what you’re “leaving behind,” talk about what lessons and people you’re taking with you.

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8. Create a call to action.

Graduation speeches serve two important purposes: celebrating everything that came before graduation day and building excitement for everything that will come after it. The easiest way to leave people inspired is to include a call to action. This doesn’t mean providing strict instructions for some task they must complete. Think of it more as broad instructions for how to meet the challenges ahead.

Your call to action should restate the theme of your speech and give the audience a clear takeaway message to carry with them. Need some examples? We have a few:

“Whatever you want to do, do it now. For life is time, and time is all there is.” — Gloria Steinem , Tufts University, 1987

“Let excellence be your brand.” — Oprah Winfrey , Spelman College, 2012

“Fight for the job you want, fight for the people who mean the most to you and fight for the kind of world you want to live in.” — Elizabeth Warren , Suffolk University, 2016

9. Keep it brief.

While you surely have a lot of great things to say, no one wants to sit through a 12-page speech. Graduation ceremonies are already long, and the audience is usually asked to listen to multiple speeches. Keep this in mind, and say what you’d like to say in the briefest way possible. Aim for a speech that falls between 500 and 750 words, and time yourself to make sure you don’t exceed 10 minutes during delivery.

10. Practice, practice, practice.

The only way to ensure your speech flows, makes sense, and holds people’s attention is to practice reading it out loud. Practice by yourself in front of a mirror, being careful to notice and edit any places where you trip over words or have awkward pauses. Once you’ve perfected the solo read-aloud, ask a parent or friend to serve as an audience. This will help you test out your jokes and polish your anecdotes based on their reactions. By graduation day, you’ll be ready to take to the stage like a pro.

Need more inspiration? These graduation quotes should do the trick.

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How to Write a Graduation Speech (Graduation Speech Examples)

Have you been asked to deliver a commencement speech? Or have you worked your butt off to become valedictorian or salutatorian, and now you have to deliver a graduation speech? In this post, we will cover one of the more challenging types of presentation creation: How to Write a Graduation Speech . (By the way, I have also included a few popular graduation speech examples as a guide for you.)

Want to beat stage fright, articulate with poise, and land your dream job? Take the 2-minute public speaking assessment and get the Fearless Presenter’s Playbook for FREE!

This post is a continuation of our How to Create a Presentation series. We are going to break this post down into three parts, though. We will show you how to create a commencement speech in this post. Next week, I’ll show you how to write a valedictorian speech and how to deliver a salutatorian speech. Each of these graduation speeches has a slightly different purpose, but all of them need to be inspirational and funny.

How to Write a Commencement Speech

The commencement speech is often the keynote speech of the graduation ceremony. This presentation should be uplifting and entertaining, but this graduation speech should also teach a life lesson to the graduating students. If you do a search on YouTube of the best graduation speeches, many of these speakers will be famous comedians. When a comedian delivers a commencement speech, and the speech is posted on YouTube, it will always get a ton of views. The humor alone will make people want to watch the video. Three of the most popular of these speeches are by Conan O’Brien, Will Ferrell, and Ellen DeGeneres. The interesting thing about the speeches from these famous comedians is that, yes, they are funny, but the inspiration comes from what they learned from their failures.

“There is no such thing as failure. Failure is just life life trying to push you in another direction.” Oprah Winfrey, Harvard University Commencement Speech

A Good Structure When You Write a Commencement Address

Thank the crowd.

Start with Something Funny

Be Inspirational

The inspirational part of your commencement speech will come from the theme of the graduation speech . (For Sample Graduation Speech Themes , see the section below.) The easiest way to develop a theme is to look for an inspirational famous quote about success. You can do this by just going to Google and type in “success quotes”. Once you come up with a great quote, you can either paraphrase the quote and make it your own or quote the original speaker.

Tell Stories from Your Own Experience Related to Your Quote (Theme).

This the most important part of how to write a graduation speech. The stories and examples are what the audience will remember. These stories add emotion and inspiration to your graduation speech. They also help you build rapport with the audience. Finally, these stories make your delivery much easier. You don’t have to memorize a lot of material. Instead, just play the video in your head of what happened and describe the incident to the graduates.

For a great example of this, watch the YouTube video on Stanford University’s channel where Steve Jobs gives the commencement speech. I love this speech, because Jobs skips the introduction and the funny stuff and starts his speech with the following. “I’m going to tell you three stories.” It’s simple, and the crowd loves him.

End with an Inspirational Call to Action.

So as you go on to the next stage in your life and you experience failure… because you will experience failure, use that as a stepping stone to your next success. Persevere. Don’t rest on that success. Use it as a stepping stone to your next success. Persevere, and you will experience a series of successes and failures that will allow you to accomplish something great!”

Use this outline to create a simple 20 to 30 minute speech. (The shorter the better… No one gets a diploma until you finish.)

Sample Graduation Speech Themes

If you are having trouble coming up with a theme for your graduation speech, here are a few Sample Commencement Speech Themes. As you read through them, think about which them or quote has been most applicable in your career? Once you choose a graduation speech them, use the outline above to create your speech.

• Hard Work Leads to Success

“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” — Coleman Cox

• Create Your Own Path.

“It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” — Herman Melville

• Make Things Happen.

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” — Henry David Thoreau

• Don’t Settle for Average. Strive for Greatness.

“Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” –John D. Rockefeller

• Don’t Wait for the Perfect Opportunity. Look for a Way to Create Your Own Opportunity.

“Opportunities don’t happen. You create them.” — Chris Grosser/blockquote> The Road Ahead is Hard, But It Leads to Success. “Successful people do what unsuccessful people are not willing to do. Don’t wish it were easier; wish you were better.” — Jim Rohn

• Focus on Your Dream.

“The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.” — Bruce Lee

• Learn from Every Mistake to Move Toward Success.

“Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don’t quit.” — Conrad Hilton

• When Your Why is Big Enough, Your How Will Appear.

“If you really want to do something, you’ll find a way. If you don’t, you’ll find an excuse.” — Jim Rohn

• Happiness is the Key to Success.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” — Albert Schweitzer

Use the Speech Creator as a Guide to How to Create a Graduation Speech

Once you have chosen a them, and you have a few stories to inspire your audience, use our Online Speech Writer to help you organize your thoughts. (It’s free.)

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Graduation Speech: Complete Guide & Inspiring Graduation Speech Examples

Ready to toss your caps in the air and bid farewell to the hallowed halls of academia? 

Not so fast…There’s one final thing left to learn about: graduation speeches!

Sure, they might seem like just another routine part of commencement, but graduation speeches are much more than just a formality. 

From tear-jerking tales to laugh-out-loud lessons, the best graduation speeches can be vehicles to share wisdom, life lessons, and unforgettable memories. 

Maybe you’re feeling uncertain about how to craft a graduation speech that people actually want to hear… Or wondering what can turn a good one into a great one…Or, simply looking for inspiration on memorable graduation speech examples. 

Read on to explore all of the above and more in this comprehensive guide on graduation speeches. 

• What is a graduation speech?
• What is the purpose of a graduation speech?

What makes a great graduation speech?

• Steps to Write a Student Graduation Speech [7 Steps]
• Inspiring Graduation Speech Examples [8 Examples]

What is a graduation speech? 

First things first: Let’s define what a graduation speech is exactly. 

A graduation speech is more than just a ceremonial tradition —it’s a speech that combines a heartfelt send-off, a final farewell, and a celebration of achievement all rolled into one.

These speeches are typically delivered by a selected speaker, such as a notable figure, a faculty member, or a student representative, at the commencement, or graduation ceremony.

But what exactly is the purpose behind these speeches, and why do we place such importance on them?

A graduation speech serves as a symbolic bridge between the academic journey and the adventures that lie ahead. It’s a chance for speakers to reflect on the accomplishments, challenges, and growth experienced by graduates throughout their academic careers. And most importantly, it’s an opportunity to share some wisdom, inspiration, and encouragement as graduates embark on their next chapter.

What is the purpose of a graduation speech? 

The purpose of a graduation speech varies depending on the context and the goals of the speaker. But generally, it serves several key purposes:

Let’s break it down:

• Celebrate: Graduation is a big deal, right? So, the speech is a way to celebrate all the hard work and sweat equity that graduates have contributed towards their student experience. And its graduation is a huge achievement worth celebrating!
• Inspire and Motivate: Many graduates feel nervous and apprehensive about what comes next after graduation. As happy as they may be to finally be graduating, many students feel a sense of confusion and discouragement about the future. Graduation speeches are meant to motivate and encourage the graduating class as they wrap up their student experience. It’s all about making them feel inspired as they look towards their future.
• Reflect: Remember all those fun times you had in school? Even the monotonous and routine hustle of being in school will become times you can look back on, joke about, and reminisce on for the rest of your life. Graduation speeches offer a chance to look back on the graduating class memories and once-in-a-lifetime experience.
• Bringing Everyone Together: Graduation is a time for friends, family, and teachers to come together and cheer the graduating class on. The speech helps everyone feel connected and proud of what’s been achieved.
• Closure: Graduation speeches offer closure to the academic journey, providing a symbolic farewell and a sense of completion to graduates as they bid farewell to their alma mater. 
• Legacy: Graduation speeches leave a lasting legacy for graduates, offering timeless wisdom, inspiration, and guidance that they can carry with them as they embark on their future endeavors. They serve as a reminder of the values, lessons, and aspirations that define the graduate experience and shape the path forward.

Overall, the purpose of a graduation speech is to leave a lasting impact on the audience, imparting valuable insights, encouragement, and inspiration that resonate long after the ceremony has ended.

Great graduation speeches captivate audiences by weaving together universal themes, inspiring messages, and deep reflection to create a memorable and inspiring experience.

So what makes a graduation speech great ? While every speech is unique in itself, there are some common elements that all great speeches have.

Here are some key elements that contribute to a great graduation speech:

• Authenticity: A great graduation speech is authentic and genuine, reflecting the speaker’s personality, values, and experiences. 
• Personal Touch: Incorporating personal anecdotes, stories, and reflections adds depth and emotional resonance to a graduation speech. Sharing personal experiences allows the speaker to connect with the audience and make the speech more engaging.
• Inspiring Message: A great graduation speech delivers an inspiring and uplifting message that motivates graduates to embrace their potential, pursue their passions, and make a difference in the world. The message should be positive, empowering, and filled with hope for the future.
• Relevance: A great graduation speech is relevant to the occasion and the audience, addressing the unique challenges, triumphs, and experiences shared by graduates. It acknowledges the journey they’ve been on and offers guidance as they embark on the next chapter of their lives.
• Clear Structure: A well-structured graduation speech flows smoothly from one point to the next, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
• Engaging Delivery: A great graduation speech is delivered with passion, energy, and enthusiasm, capturing the attention and interest of the audience from start to finish. 
• Humor and Wit: Incorporating humor and wit into a graduation speech can lighten the mood, break the ice, and make the speech more enjoyable for the audience. Humorous anecdotes, clever wordplay, and well-timed jokes can add charm to the speech, making it more entertaining.
• Universal Themes: A great graduation speech explores universal truths that resonate with all graduates, regardless of their background or experiences. It touches on timeless values such as perseverance, resilience, gratitude, and the power of human connection, inspiring graduates to embrace these principles as they navigate life’s challenges.

By incorporating these elements into your own graduation speech, you can create memorable, inspiring, and impactful words that leave a lasting impression on everyone in attendance.

Steps to Write a Student Graduation Speech

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of writing a graduation speech? That’s normal! 

Even for famous and/or notable figures, writing a commencement or graduation speech can be a nerve-wracking experience.

And while writing a commencement speech may seem like a daunting task, breaking it down into basic steps can make the process more manageable and enjoyable.

Here’s a simple guide to help you craft a memorable and inspiring graduation speech:

Step 1: Understand Your Audience

Before you begin writing your speech, take some time to understand your audience. That is, the graduating class, faculty and staff, and family and friends of everyone involved in the ceremony. 

Consider the demographics of the graduates, their interests, experiences, and the significance of the occasion.

Tailoring your speech to resonate with the audience will make it more relatable and impactful.

Step 2: Choose a Theme or Message

Every great speech has a central theme or message that ties everything together. 

Think about what you want to convey to the graduates—whether it’s words of wisdom, encouragement, or reflections on their journey.

Choose a theme that resonates with the occasion and reflects your personal values and experiences.

Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas and Stories

Once you have a theme in mind, brainstorm ideas, stories, and anecdotes that support your message.

Reflect on your own experiences, lessons learned, and moments of inspiration that you can share with the graduates.

Consider incorporating personal stories, quotes, or examples that illustrate your points and make them more memorable.

Step 4: Create an Outline

Organize your ideas into a clear and coherent outline for your speech.

Start with an introduction that grabs the audience’s attention and introduces your theme. Then, outline the main points you want to cover in the body of the speech. Use supporting stories and examples to illustrate each point.

Finally, conclude your speech with powerful closing remarks that reinforces your message and leaves a lasting impression.

Step 5: Write the Speech

With your outline as a guide, start writing your speech , focusing on clarity, conciseness, and authenticity.

Write in a conversational tone, as if you’re speaking directly to the graduates, and use concise language.

Be sure to include transitions between sections to help the speech flow smoothly and keep the audience engaged.

Step 6: Edit and Revise

Once you’ve written a draft of your speech, take time to edit and revise it for clarity, coherence, and impact.

Cut out any unnecessary or repetitive information, and refine your language to make it more concise and compelling.

Pay attention to pacing, tone, and rhythm, and make sure your speech is well-balanced and engaging from start to finish.

Step 7: Practice, Practice, Practice

Finally, practice delivering your speech aloud multiple times to ensure smooth delivery and confident presentation.

Pay attention to your pacing, timing, hand gestures , and body language, and make adjustments as needed. 

Practicing your speech will help you feel more comfortable and confident on the day of the graduation ceremony.

Here are some tips to help you write a memorable speech:

• Share Your Journey: Reflect on your time in school, highlighting challenges you overcame, lessons you learned, and accomplishments you achieved.
• Inspire with Stories: Share inspiring anecdotes or life lessons that have shaped you and can resonate with your peers.
• Express Gratitude: Thank teachers, family, and friends for their support and guidance throughout your academic journey.
• Offer Encouragement: Provide motivation and encouragement to your fellow graduates as they embark on their future endeavors.

By following these basic steps and tips, you can write a graduation speech that is memorable and impactful, leaving a lasting impression on graduates and audience members for years to come.

8 Inspiring Graduation Speech Examples

If you’re looking to get inspired or need some examples to work from, check out some of the most memorable graduation speeches delivered by today’s notable figures. 

These speeches showcase how some of the world’s most influential people have delivered impactful messages of change, hard work, success, and life lessons to graduating classes throughout the years.

By incorporating personal stories, motivational quotes, and heartfelt advice, these examples showcase the profound impact a well-crafted speech can have on any audience.

While we’ve only featured eight graduation speech examples here, please note that there are countless other inspiring speeches that you can learn from throughout history. A quick online search will help guide you in the direction of more examples if you don’t find what you’re looking for in this list. 

#1 – Steve Jobs’ Stanford University Graduation Speech (2005)

Jobs’s speech is a classic for a reason. He challenged graduates to “stay hungry, stay foolish,” and to never lose sight of their dreams. 

#2 – Oprah Winfrey’s Harvard University Graduation Speech (2013)

Oprah Winfrey reflects on her own journey to success, emphasizing the importance of finding purpose, serving others, and remaining true to oneself in the face of adversity.

#3 –  Chadwick Boseman’s Howard University Graduation Speech (2018)

The late Chadwick Boseman, shortly before his passing, delivered an inspiring speech about the power of purpose and never giving up on your dreams.

#4 – J.K. Rowling’s Harvard University Graduation Speech (2008)

J.K. Rowling shares insights on the benefits of failure and the importance of imagination, empathy, and resilience in overcoming life’s challenges and achieving success.

#5 – Michelle Obama’s CCNY Graduation Speech (2016)

Michelle Obama reflects on the power of education and the importance of resilience, determination, and hope in overcoming obstacles and achieving one’s dreams.

#6 – David Foster Wallace’s Kenyon College Graduation Speech (2005)

David Foster Wallace’s speech, titled “This is Water,” is a profound meditation on mindfulness and empathy. Wallace delivers a thought-provoking speech about the value of mindfulness, empathy, and perspective in leading a meaningful and fulfilling life.

#7 – Satya Nadella’s University of Chicago Graduation Speech (2018)

The CEO of Microsoft spoke about the future of technology and the need for human-centered innovation. Nadella shares insights on the role of empathy, curiosity, and continuous learning in driving innovation and success in today’s rapidly changing world.

#8 – Ken Burns’ Stanford University Graduation Speech (2016)

The documentarian urged graduates to be curious, to challenge themselves, and to fight for what they believe in.

Learn From Graduation Speech Examples From Notable Figures

As we’ve seen from speeches like the ones listed above, throughout history, famous individuals have delivered impactful speeches that resonate with audiences and offer valuable lessons for graduates.

So how do these notable figures inspire through their speeches?

• Emphasizing Change: Notable figures often highlight the importance of embracing change and adapting to new beginnings in their speeches.
• Hard Work and Success: Through personal anecdotes, they stress the significance of hard work and determination in achieving success.
• Life Lessons: Graduation speeches by renowned figures are filled with insightful life lessons that guide and motivate graduates on their journey ahead.
• Words of Encouragement: Notable graduation speeches give encouragement, confidence, and hope to the audience as they move ahead.

Throughout this guide, we’ve explored how these speeches are more than just a routine part of commencement—they’re opportunities to share wisdom, life lessons, and unforgettable memories.

Whether you were feeling uncertain about crafting a speech that resonates or curious about the secrets behind turning a good speech into a great one, we’ve covered it all.

As you step onto the stage to deliver your graduation speech, remember the power you hold. Inspire, uplift, and connect us all! 

Here’s to making your mark and leaving a lasting impression as you embark on the next chapter of your journey!

Whether you’re giving a graduation speech or a TEDx talk, this free guide will help expand your reach.

Check out more great articles from the Thought-Leader Blog covering TEDx Talks, success mindsets, and everything else in between

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Graduation Speech Writing Outline

Graduation speech generator.

Graduation, that one milestone anyone could be proud of. To mark this special milestone, students or even deans of different universities and colleges often make graduation speeches . This is to commemorate an important event in students’ lives. Now you would be wondering how a graduation speech would look like before the final output. Graduation speeches like any other speeches follow a certain outline. This article will explain to you what that outline is and how to compose a speech that could wow any type of audience.

3+ Graduation Speech Writing Outline Examples

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2. General Graduation Speech Writing Outline

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3. Graduation Speech Writing Outline in PDF

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4. Graduation Speech Writing Outline Format

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Definition of Graduation

The term graduation is defined as the act of completing a degree or a course of study at a university or a school. This is the type of event wherein you are officially stated to have finished your education. The finish line to your educational history. A formal gathering of students, teachers, and parents. A ceremony wherein a person or an individual has successfully completed their education and will be receiving their diploma.

Definition of Speech

Speech is often described as a formal or an informal discourse . Informal discourse when it happens inside the classroom, where a teacher and the students discuss a topic. A talk between two or more people who share the same ideas, thoughts and opinions. A discussion between a group of people who agree or disagree with a topic. In addition to that, a speech is an address formally given during ceremonies.

Definition of Outline

An outline is a tool . This is used to organize your thoughts and ideas into a logical order. Outlines are often used on a topic or for thesis statements. An outline gives writers a clearer view of what they are writing about and what they are aiming to accomplish. Outlines arrange your main topic, subtopic and supporting ideas in a clear and concise manner.

Definition of Graduation Speech

A graduation speech is also known as a commencement speech . This type of speech is given during a graduation ceremony. The speech is mainly given by graduating students to commemorate an important event. Graduation speeches are often made to motivate its audience and to highlight the positive aspects of the whole event.

Importance of an Outline

The purpose of using an outline is it helps you organize multiple thoughts, opinions and ideas about a certain topic. It also helps you pick out relevant information that supports your theories. Outlining in speech also helps you organize your train of thought and to highlight important key points when writing.

Importance of a Graduation Speech

The main purpose or importance of a graduation speech is to give the audience attending the information they want to hear. A graduation speech is not trying to persuade or to cause any discourse among the audience. It is merely giving information of the event that is currently happening.

Tips for Writing a Graduation Speech

Using an outline for a graduation speech is easy. Writing the actual graduation speech would seem a little tricky. But no worries at all. Like any other problem, there is a solution to it. Check out these tips to help write a graduation speech.

• Draft your speech-  Draft your speech using an outline. This way, it would be easier for you to match your thoughts into writing.
• Write your introduction-  Your introduction should be a few sentences long. What goes in your introduction should be thanking the previous speaker, and introducing yourself.
• Make your speech memorable- Add a quote or an inspirational message to your speech. All the while making your speech stick to its original purpose.
• Match the words to your audience- Avoid using words that are too difficult for your audience to understand. Better yet, use words that are general or well known. Your audience ranges from children to adults. Find words that fit the general public.
• Revise your speech-  Revise your speech before you present it. Always revise if you feel there is still room for improvement. Check grammatical errors, and misspelled words. Check the tone of your words to make sure it fits with the audience.

Does my speech have to be a page long?

Not necessarily. Your speech could be half a page long. What is important is the fact that your speech is memorable, and all the information needed is present.

How can outline help me with my graduation speech?

The outline helps by rearranging your thoughts and ideas into a logical order. It also helps by putting the keywords in your outline to make it easier for you to write a speech. Outlines are merely used to make it easier for the writer to use the words that fit.

Is drafting and outlining the same?

In a way it would sound the same as you use your outline to guide you write your essay.

Outlines help with making any type of speech. A graduation speech is no different. Your graduation speech should always follow a certain guideline that is often found in outlines. Your introduction which is your main topic, the subpoints that follow. Same goes with the rest of the speech. A good graduation speech can be made possible if the necessary information is presented.

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by Laura Jones

Updated on January 3, 2024

6 tips to write a great graduation speech (with examples) 

Being chosen to write a speech for a graduation ceremony is exciting, but also utterly terrifying, for many people. It’s not just your classmates in the audience, it’s parents and faculty too. And with some incredible student graduation speech examples out there (not to mention the perfection that was Steve Jobs’ speech ), there’s a lot to live up to. With that in mind, here are some tips and graduation speech examples to help you create the perfect commencement speech.

• Pick a theme
• Write an outline
• Pen a catchy introduction
• Write a thank-you paragraph
• Look back and look ahead
• End your graduation speech

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1. pick a theme.

The overall goal of graduation speeches is to inspire and move your audience. But there are lots of ways to do this, and picking the right theme is a big part of it. Popular themes are the importance of friendship; perseverance and overcoming adversity; having big dreams and imagination; making a difference. Once you have your theme, it will be easier to choose anecdotes, quotations , and examples to put into your speech.

2. Write an outline

The next step for any commencement speech is to write an outline. Breaking it up into manageable parts not only makes it feel less overwhelming, but it helps to give your speech structure, making it easier for the audience to follow. A good speech will have the following: 

• A catchy introduction
• A look back
• A look ahead
• A pithy ending

3. Pen a catchy introduction

Begin by thanking everyone for attending and for choosing you to be their speaker. Then, grab your audience’s attention from the very start with a hook. Lots of people choose to begin with a quotation that captures the theme of the whole speech. 

Example: I want to begin with a quotation from Nora Ephron: “Your education is a dress rehearsal for a life that is yours to lead.” 

Other ways to hook your audience are by telling a short, personal story that your classmates can relate to, or by giving a statistic or question that fits with your theme. And never shy away from humor. A speech by James Glaser at Tufts University contained only questions , one being: “Would you believe that my 5’1” sister met her 5’4” husband in a short story class?” This would be a very funny way to begin a speech about meeting special people. 

4. Write a thank-you paragraph

Now your audience is paying attention, it’s time for gratitude. Thank your teachers and other staff at the school who have made a difference and tell an anecdote about someone to personalize this. 

Example: “I know I speak on behalf of all of my classmates when I thank the catering staff, who have made sure we fuel our brains with more than just fries and soda during exam times.”

Now’s the time to thank the families in the audience too. You can do a personal shout-out to your mom and dad, but be inclusive and remember that your classmates will have received support from a range of people. 

5. Look back and look ahead

The bulk of your speech will be spent talking about your time at the school and about how you see the future unfolding. Now is the time to focus on the theme that you chose, and to include stories about your shared experiences. 

If you chose to focus on overcoming adversity , recall a challenge you faced that you know a lot of other people did too. Share how a lesson you learned at school will help you after you leave, and remind everyone that you have learned much more than what was on the syllabus. 

Example: As Rita Moreno said, “The day you graduate, you do not arrive. This is not the end. This is the beginning for you. To graduate is to change gradually.” I know we’ve all changed so much already and we will continue to do so.

6. End your graduation speech

End with some advice and a call to action. Lots of people end with a quotation, and this can be from someone famous or from you. 

Example: 

• George Saunders said, “Do all the other things, the ambitious things—travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes…but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness.”
• C.S. Lewis told us that “There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind.” So let’s go find them.

Writing a great graduation speech

Beginning with a theme and an outline helps focus your speech, which should make it easier for you to write with clarity and to find the right stories and quotations to use. Telling personal stories that everyone can relate to, sprinkled with humor, is a wonderful way to keep people engaged throughout your speech. And, ending with a bang in the form of an amazing quotation will help inspire your audience and leave them feeling upbeat. 

Laura Jones

Laura is a freelance writer and was an ESL teacher for eight years. She was born in the UK and has lived in Australia and Poland, where she writes blogs for Lingoda about everything from grammar to dating English speakers. She’s definitely better at the first one. She loves travelling and that’s the other major topic that she writes on. Laura likes pilates and cycling, but when she’s feeling lazy she can be found curled up watching Netflix. She’s currently learning Polish, and her battle with that mystifying language has given her huge empathy for anyone struggling to learn English. Find out more about her work in her portfolio .

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7 Tips on How to Write a Graduation Speech

Graduation day is one of life’s most memorable milestones, and giving a speech can be both exciting and nerve-wracking. If you’re wondering how to deliver a message that resonates, you’re in the right place.

This guide will walk you through how to write a graduation speech that captures the essence of your journey, celebrates achievements, and inspires your peers. Whether you’re a natural speaker or a bit anxious about addressing a crowd, these tips will help you create a speech that leaves a lasting impression.

1. Understand the Purpose

Writing a graduation speech isn’t just about talking; it’s about delivering a message that resonates with your audience. The purpose of a graduation speech typically revolves around celebrating achievements, inspiring the audience, and reflecting on the past while looking toward the future .

Celebrating Achievements

Graduation is a significant milestone, marking the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. Your speech should highlight the accomplishments of your peers, acknowledging the collective and individual efforts that have brought everyone to this moment. Celebrate academic achievements, personal growth, and memorable experiences that have shaped your journey.

Inspiring the Audience

A great graduation speech goes beyond the present moment, aiming to inspire and motivate the audience for the future. Share wisdom and insights that encourage your peers to pursue their dreams, overcome challenges, and make a positive impact on the world. Inspirational quotes, personal anecdotes, and forward-thinking messages can energize your audience and leave them feeling empowered.

Reflecting on the Past and Looking Toward the Future

Reflecting on the journey is a crucial part of any graduation speech. Reminisce about the shared experiences, challenges, and triumphs that have defined your time together. At the same time, look forward to the future, expressing optimism and excitement about the opportunities that lie ahead. Balancing nostalgia with forward-looking sentiments can create a powerful and resonant message.

2. Know Your Audience

Understanding your audience is crucial to delivering a graduation speech that resonates. Knowing who you’re speaking to helps tailor your message, ensuring it’s engaging and relevant to everyone present.

Identify Who Will Be in the Audience

Your audience will likely include fellow graduates, teachers, family members, and friends. Each group has different expectations and connections to the graduation ceremony. Acknowledge their presence and the unique roles they have played in your educational journey. This recognition helps create a bond between you and your listeners, making your speech more personal and impactful.

Consider the Tone and Language

The tone and language of your speech should resonate with your audience. For fellow graduates, a conversational and relatable tone works best. Share inside jokes, common experiences, and future hopes in a way that feels like a heart-to-heart chat. When addressing teachers and parents, express gratitude and respect for their support and guidance. Balance your speech by blending casual elements with formal acknowledgments to cater to the diverse audience.

Engage with Your Audience

Engaging your audience is key to keeping their attention. Ask rhetorical questions, use humor where appropriate, and involve your peers in your stories. Personal anecdotes that reflect shared experiences can evoke emotions and create a sense of unity. Remember, your goal is to connect with everyone present, making them feel included in this special moment.

3. Start with a Strong Opening

The beginning of your speech sets the tone and grabs your audience’s attention. A strong opening is crucial to ensure your message is engaging from the start.

Use a Quote, Anecdote, or Personal Story

Starting with a meaningful quote, a funny anecdote, or a personal story can immediately draw in your audience. Choose a quote that reflects the theme of your speech, an anecdote that highlights a shared experience, or a personal story that showcases a significant moment in your journey. This approach helps create an immediate connection with your listeners.

Capture the Audience’s Attention Immediately

The first few sentences are vital for hooking your audience. Use vivid language, intriguing facts, or unexpected statements to pique their interest. The goal is to make them eager to hear more. Avoid generic openings; instead, aim for something that stands out and resonates with your peers and the broader audience.

Set the Tone for the Rest of the Speech

Your opening should set the tone for the rest of your speech. Whether it’s humorous, inspirational, or reflective, the initial moments should give a hint of what’s to come. Consistency in tone ensures that your audience stays engaged and follows your narrative smoothly.

4. Structure Your Speech

A well-structured speech ensures your message is clear, cohesive, and impactful. Organizing your thoughts and ideas in a logical flow will guide your audience through your narrative seamlessly, making your speech more effective and memorable.

Introduction: Set the Stage and State Your Main Theme

Begin by introducing yourself and establishing a connection with your audience. Acknowledge the significance of the occasion and express your gratitude for the opportunity to speak. Clearly state the main theme of your speech to set expectations and provide a roadmap for your listeners. This approach helps the audience understand the direction of your speech from the very beginning.

Body: Develop Key Points with Stories, Examples, and Reflections

The body of your speech is where you delve into your key points, providing depth and substance to your message. Divide your main theme into several key points, each supported by relevant stories, examples, and reflections. Personal anecdotes are particularly effective as they make your speech relatable and engaging.

For instance, you might share a memorable experience from your school years, a lesson learned, or a challenge overcome. These stories not only illustrate your points but also add a personal touch that resonates with your audience.

Ensure each section transitions smoothly to the next, maintaining a logical flow throughout your speech. Use transitional phrases to connect your ideas and keep your audience following along effortlessly. This coherence helps reinforce your message and makes it easier for your listeners to stay engaged.

Conclusion: Wrap Up with a Powerful Message or Call to Action

End your speech with a strong conclusion that reinforces your main theme and leaves a lasting impression. Summarize your key points succinctly, tying them back to the overall message of your speech. A powerful conclusion might include a poignant quote, a heartfelt thank you, or an inspiring challenge to your peers. For example, you could encourage your classmates to pursue their dreams, contribute positively to society, or cherish the memories made during their educational journey.

A memorable closing can also involve a call to action, urging your audience to take specific steps or adopt a particular mindset as they move forward. This not only emphasizes the significance of your message but also leaves your audience with something meaningful to ponder or act upon.

5. Be Authentic and Personal

Being authentic and personal in your graduation speech helps build a genuine connection with your audience . Sharing your true self and personal experiences can make your message more relatable and impactful.

Share Personal Experiences and Insights

Your personal experiences are unique and can provide valuable insights to your audience. Talk about the challenges you’ve faced, the lessons you’ve learned, and the moments that have shaped you. These stories not only add depth to your speech but also make it more engaging and memorable. Your peers are more likely to connect with your message if they see a bit of themselves in your journey.

Be Genuine and True to Your Personality

Authenticity shines through when you stay true to who you are. Don’t try to mimic someone else’s style or tone; instead, speak in a way that feels natural to you. Whether you’re naturally funny, serious, or reflective, let your personality come through in your speech. Your genuine voice will resonate more with your audience and make your speech feel more sincere.

6. Add Humor and Positivity

Incorporating humor and positivity into your graduation speech can make it more enjoyable and uplifting for your audience. A lighthearted tone can help keep your listeners engaged and leave them with a positive impression.

Use Appropriate Humor to Lighten the Mood

A well-placed joke or funny story can break the ice and make your speech more entertaining. Think about shared experiences or common situations that your peers will find amusing. However, make sure your humor is appropriate for the audience and the occasion. Avoid controversial or divisive jokes, and aim for humor that everyone can appreciate.

Keep the Overall Tone Positive and Uplifting

Graduation is a time of celebration, so keep the tone of your speech positive and uplifting. Focus on the good times, the achievements, and the bright future ahead. Even if you touch on challenges or difficult moments, frame them in a way that highlights resilience and growth. A positive tone will leave your audience feeling inspired and hopeful.

Balance Humor with Heartfelt Moments

While humor is important, it’s also essential to balance it with heartfelt and meaningful moments. Transition smoothly between lighthearted anecdotes and sincere reflections. This balance ensures that your speech is both enjoyable and emotionally resonant. Your audience will appreciate the depth and variety of your message.

7. Keep it Concise

Keeping your graduation speech concise ensures that your message is clear, engaging, and memorable. A focused and succinct speech respects your audience’s time and attention while delivering a powerful impact.

Aim for a Speech Length of 5-10 Minutes

A well-crafted graduation speech should be long enough to cover your key points but short enough to maintain the audience’s interest. Aim for a length of 5-10 minutes, which is typically sufficient to convey your message without losing your audience’s attention. This timeframe allows you to be thorough without becoming repetitive or dragging out your speech.

Stay Focused on Your Main Points

Identify the core message you want to deliver and stick to it. Avoid going off on tangents or including unnecessary details. Each point you make should support your main theme, helping to build a cohesive narrative. If you find yourself adding information that doesn’t directly contribute to your message, consider trimming it down or removing it altogether.

Avoid Unnecessary Elaboration

While it’s important to provide context and examples, be mindful of over-explaining or elaborating too much. Your audience will appreciate a speech that is direct and to the point. Use clear and concise language to express your ideas. If you can convey your message in fewer words, do so. This approach keeps your speech dynamic and engaging.

Practice Editing and Refining Your Speech

Editing is crucial to ensuring conciseness. After writing your initial draft, review it critically to identify any redundant or repetitive parts. Ask yourself if each sentence adds value to your speech. If not, consider rephrasing or cutting it. Refining your speech through multiple drafts can help you achieve a concise and impactful final version.

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15 Funniest Graduation Speeches That Left Audiences in Stitches

Graduation is a milestone filled with mixed emotions, from excitement to nostalgia. While many speeches aim to inspire, some stand out for their humor and wit, making the occasion even more memorable. In this article, we’ll dive into the funniest graduation speeches that have left audiences laughing and celebrating. These speeches, delivered by celebrities, comedians,…

This writer analyzed 100 graduation speeches — here are the 4 tips they all share

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Steve Jobs has been credited over the years with popularizing any number of other people’s inventions, from the personal computer to the tablet to the mobile phone. But none of these gifts may be as enduring as one of his rarely credited contributions to contemporary life — popularizing the viral commencement address.

On June 12, 2005, Jobs stood before the graduating class of Stanford University and reminded them that he had never graduated from college. “Truth be told, this is the closest I’ve ever gotten to a college graduation.” He then told three stories about his life. “That’s it. No big deal. Just three stories.”

That speech , coinciding as it did with the rise of internet virality (the first TED Talk would be posted on TED.com exactly 12 months later; the iPhone was introduced exactly 12 months after that), launched a global obsession with pithy, inspirational talks. Jobs’s speech has since been viewed more than 40 million times on YouTube.

Graduation speeches, long viewed as the burdensome interruption before diplomas were granted and mortar boards were tossed, have since become big business. Kurt Vonnegut, Ann Patchett, Carl Hiaasen, J.K. Rowling, Mary Karr, David Foster Wallace and many others have all had their commencement speeches published as books.

I’ve been fortunate to give a handful of commencement addresses over the years, and I confess to a fascination with the genre. The internet has been a boon this hobby. There are thousands of commencement speeches on the web. Can we learn anything from their messages?

I’ve spent the last few years gathering and coding hundreds of life stories, looking for patterns and takeaways that could help all of us live with more meaning, purpose and joy. I decided to put some of my coding tools to work, analyzing 100 of the most popular recent commencement speeches.

Here are the four tips they all contain:

1. Dream big

“I think it is often easier to make progress on mega-ambitious dreams. I know that sounds completely nuts. But, since no one else is crazy enough to do it, you have little competition. There are so few people this crazy that I feel like I know them all by first name. They all travel as if they are pack dogs and stick to each other like glue. The best people want to work the big challenges.” — Larry Page at University of Michigan , 2009

“We don’t beat the reaper by living longer. We beat the reaper by living well and living fully. For the reaper is always going to come for all of us. The question is: What do we do between the time we are born, and the time he shows up? Because when he shows up, it’s too late to do all the things that you’re always gonna, kinda get around to.” — Randy Pausch at Carnegie Mellon University , 2009

“Graduates, we need you. We need you to run companies and make decisions about who has access to capital. We need you to serve at the highest levels of government and determine our country’s standing in the world. We need you to work in our hospitals and in our courtrooms and in our schools. We need you to shape the future of technology. We need you because your perspective — the sum total of your intellect and your lived experience — will make our country stronger.” — Kamala Harris at Tennessee State University , 2022

2. Work hard

“Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle. As with all matters of the heart, you’ll know when you find it.” — Steve Jobs at Stanford University , 2005

“I just directed my first film. I was completely unprepared, but my own ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director’s chair. Once there, I had to figure it all out, and my belief that I could handle these things, contrary to all evidence of my ability to do so was half the battle. The other half was very hard work. The experience was the deepest and most meaningful one of my career.” — Natalie Portman at Harvard University , 2015

“When you’re doing the work you’re meant to do, it feels right and every day is a bonus, regardless of what you’re getting paid … But make it your life’s work to remake the world because there is nothing more beautiful or more worthwhile than working to leave something better for humanity.” — Oprah Winfrey at Stanford University , 2008

3. Make mistakes

”Fail big. That’s right. Fail big … It’s a new world out there, and it’s a mean world out there, and you only live once. So do what you feel passionate about. Take chances, professionally. Don’t be afraid to fail. There’s an old IQ test with nine dots, and you had to draw five lines with a pencil within these nine dots without lifting the pencil, and the only way to do it was to go outside the box. So don’t be afraid to go outside the box.” — Denzel Washington at University of Pennsylvania , 2011

“The world doesn’t care how many times you fall down, as long as it’s one fewer than the number of times you get back up.” — Aaron Sorkin at Syracuse University , 2013

“My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best thing in my life. Being embarrassed when you mess up is part of the human experience of getting back up dusting yourself off and seeing who still wants to hang out with you afterward and laugh about it. That’s a gift. The times I was told no or wasn’t included wasn’t chosen, didn’t win, didn’t make the cut, looking back it really feels like those moments we’re as important if not more crucial than the moments I was told yes.” — Taylor Swift at NYU , 2022

“Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen.” — Conan O’Brien at Dartmouth College , 2011

“Empathy and kindness are the true signs of emotional intelligence.” — Will Ferrell at the University of Southern California , 2017

“So here’s something I know to be true, although it’s a little corny, and I don’t quite know what to do with it: What I regret most in my life are failures of kindness. Those moments when another human being was there, in front of me, suffering, and I responded … sensibly. Reservedly. Mildly. Or, to look at it from the other end of the telescope: Who, in your life, do you remember most fondly, with the most undeniable feelings of warmth? Those who were kindest to you, I bet. It’s a little facile, maybe, and certainly hard to implement, but I’d say, as a goal in life, you could do worse than: Try to be kinder.” — George Saunders at Syracuse University , 2013

So what can we learn from these themes?

Every era in American life has its own standards of what it means to be a success. Shortly after America’s founding, success was all about character. Led by Benjamin Franklin, Americans embraced virtue, industry, and frugality. In the twentieth century, success was all about personality. Led by Dale Carnegie, Americans embraced salesmanship, reinvention and charisma. Today, led by Steve Jobs, Americans are embracing meaning, authenticity and bliss. Or, as Kermit the Frog put it in a 1996 commencement speech at Southampton College , “May success and a smile always be yours … even when you’re knee-deep in the sticky muck of life.”

Dream, work, fail and smile are as good a foursome of American identity today as I know. And if those ideas don’t inspire you, you can always embrace the far more practical advice erroneously attributed to Kurt Vonnegut in a commencement speech that he never gave at MIT, but was instead delivered by Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich in an imaginary speech to graduates she published in an old-fashioned newspaper, “Ladies and gentlemen of the class of ’97: Wear sunscreen.”

This post was adapted from one published on his newsletter The Nonlinear Life; go here to subscribe.

Watch his TEDxIEMadrid Talk now:

About the author

Bruce Feiler is the author of seven New York Times bestsellers, including The Secrets of Happy Families and Council of Dads, both of which became the subject of TED Talks. His latest book, Life Is in the Transitions: Mastering Change at Any Age, from which this post and TEDx Talk are adapted, describes his journey across America, collecting hundreds of life stories, exploring how we can navigate life’s growing number of transitions with more meaning, purpose and joy. To learn more, visit brucefeiler.com, follow him on Twitter (@brucefeiler), or sign up for his newsletter The Nonlinear Life. 

• bruce feiler
• communication
• inspiration
• society and culture
• surprise me

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How to Write the Best Commencement Speech – Tips & Examples

Amanda Green was born in a small town in the west of Scotland, where everyone knows everyone. I joined the Toastmasters 15 years ago, and I served in nearly every office in the club since then. I love helping others gain confidence and skills they can apply in every day life.

So, the school principal announced that you’d graduate as the class valedictorian. She also asked you to prepare a commencement speech to send off your classmates with wisdom.

Your commencement speech makes up a substantial part of the graduation ceremony, so you have to make it worth your audience’s while. Here’s a complete guide on how to write a commencement speech with examples.

The Purpose of a Commencement Speech

The purpose of a high school or college commencement speech is to celebrate past experiences from the school and look forward to the future. This is usually given by a graduate. But in some schools, celebrities, politicians, and other notable people also give commencement speeches at graduations.

Like any other speech, a commencement speech also includes an introduction, body, and conclusion. But the body should discuss the following:

• Past memories at school
• The present (graduation ceremony)
• Future dreams and plans

How to Give a Good Commencement Speech

Here are some senior speech ideas and tips to prepare you for graduation.

Pick a Theme

To make your graduation speech more significant to your fellow graduates, try building it around a central message or theme. What do you think is essential to your classmates? Here are some examples.

• Embracing failures in life
• Following your dreams and working for them
• Education is the key to success
• Learning from your mistakes
• Keeping your friendship
• Lifelong learning
• The importance of having big dreams
• Building a community dedicated to wisdom
• Overcoming adversity
• Facing change with grace
• Taking responsibility for your future
• Staying grateful

Once you have picked a theme, it will be easier to outline your address. It’s also more convenient to select the best quotes and stories associated with the idea.

Can We Write Your Speech?

Get your audience blown away with help from a professional speechwriter. Free proofreading and copy-editing included.

For example, share stories about your hardships in school if you’re talking about overcoming adversity. Then, research quotes that talk about not giving up.

Start By Thanking Everyone

Learning how to start a commencement speech is essential to catch the audience’s attention. Before sharing life goals, life advice, and your favorite story, begin by thanking the people for their time.

Show appreciation to the graduation class for making it to the end of their high school or college experience. Thank the parents and teachers for their support and everyone for being present at the commencement ceremony.

Another nice thing to do is publicly thank a specific person. Think about a person who helped you at school. Below is an example.

“Thank you, Mr. Smith, for that wonderful speech, and thanks to all the parents, teachers, classmates, and everyone in this room for attending the 56th commencement ceremonies of St. Jude High School. But most of all, I would like to thank my mom for being present today and in every important event of my life.”

Don’t Make It All About You

Valedictorians are usually tasked to give commencement speeches because they represent the whole class. If you’re the valedictorian, congratulations on being on top. But that doesn’t mean you’ll speak only about yourself onstage.

No one wants to hear about why you made it to the podium and the rest of your classmates didn’t. Remember that you represent them. So, you have to speak about them, too.

Talk about your incredible peers and other notable people in high school or college. Share their personal experiences if they allow you. But you can still include personal stories and observations from high school. Balance is key! Consider this example.

“Today, Regis High School has produced another batch of successful graduates. You are the Class of 2022. You finished high school at a historical time. You are born educated in technology… born to be problem solvers… and born to change the world.”

Introduce Yourself

Being the class valedictorian doesn’t mean everyone in the room will instantly know you. For instance, some of your classmates’ parents might not be familiar with your face. You might also need to introduce yourself to VIPs and special guests at the event.

Your self-introduction doesn’t have to be complicated. State your name and why you were chosen to give the speech. For example:

“Good afternoon, everyone. I am Reena Guerrero, Class 2022’s valedictorian.”

Watch Famous Speeches

You can learn a lot from watching famous commencement speeches on YouTube or listening to them on different applications.

Also, consider watching other types of insightful speeches so you can receive guidance on speech writing. Or watch a hilarious speech so you can take inspiration from their jokes.

But make sure to refrain from copying even a single sentence of the speech. Otherwise, you can get accused of plagiarism. Live your life with integrity and understand that your educational experience differs from the speaker you’re watching.

Reflect on the Past

Make your graduation speech memorable by looking back on your favorite memories with the incredible student body. Consider fun memories like your prom, homecoming, and other parties. But make sure these stories are relevant to your theme.

For example, if you have a primary message about courage, talk about classmates who never gave up on a group project. Share a story about a school organization that stood up to bullying.

Recognize your strong friend for continuing his studies despite challenges. This is also the right time to thank a special teacher for being a compassionate person.

After taking a trip down memory lane, it’s time to focus on the future. Imagine your classmates’ next career step and everyone’s professional life after school. Don’t leave them sad about the past. Make them excited about their future. Below is an example.

“North Salem High School was a rollercoaster of experiences. We went through so much during the last four years. We often debated trivial situations, such as basketball games and prom dresses. But despite the fighting, we’ve always known we had each other’s backs. No one leaves the class until everyone understands the lesson. No one also gets left behind in terms of all the fun!”

Use a Motivational Quote

Your graduation speech is an opportunity to insert your favorite quotes. Make sure they still align with your key messages.

Famous Quotes from Business Leaders and Other Public Figures

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” – Fred DeVito “The future rewards those who press on. I don’t have time to feel sorry for myself. I don’t have time to complain. I’m going to press on.” – Barack Obama “If you want to be the best, you have to do things other people aren’t willing to do.” – Michael Phelps “Keep your face toward the sunshine and shadows will always fall behind you.” – Walt Whitman “Be the change that you wish to see in the world.” – Arleen Lorrance

Hilarious Quotes for College Students

“I’m sick of following my dreams. I’m just going to ask them where they’re goin’, and hook up with them later.” – Mitch Hedberg “The best advice I can give anybody about going out into the world is this: Don’t do it. I have been out there. It is a mess.” – Russell Baker “The main difference for you, between life yesterday and life tomorrow, is you can go to the bathroom whenever you want. It’s a pretty big responsibility, but you’ve earned it.” – Eugene Mirman “Life is an improvisation. You have no idea what’s going to happen next, and you are mostly just making things up as you go along.” – Stephen Colbert “So be wise, because the world needs more wisdom. And if you cannot be wise, pretend to be someone who is wise, and then just behave as they would.” – Neil Gaiman

Create a Call to Action

One of the best graduation speech ideas during the graduation ceremony is to motivate your classmates to chase the real dream. For example, convince those attending medical school to heal poor communities. If you have classmates pursuing liberal arts education, ask them to uplift marginalized sectors, such as immigrant communities.

Inspire Your Fellow Graduates

While the school’s already out, you still have a huge task to finish: your commencement speech. Writing one for your graduation ceremony is both an honor and a responsibility, so make sure to prepare in advance.

Public speaking can be challenging. But I hope these tips and examples help you write the best commencement speech.

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WTO / Education / Graduation Speech Ideas (18 Outline Examples)

Graduation Speech Ideas (18 Outline Examples)

A Graduation Speech is also known as a Commencement Speech . It is a speech given by a graduating student in university, college, or high school on behalf of the graduating class to fellow graduates, guests, parents, family members, and teachers.

In this article, we have provided you with a how-to-write guide along with professionally crafted speech ideas and examples. But first, let us understand the importance of it and a brief overview.

The speech involves all your experiences as a student, discoveries, and skills then summarizing it into a speech in a creative and informative way. A student may choose to have a long or short speech. The most important part is to ensure you deliver the intended message effectively. 

This speech is important as it marks a significant transition in your life as a student by celebrating your educational achievements.

Since you will have a diverse audience, your speech must relate to everyone in the crowd. With this article, you will learn the structure, themes, and types of graduation speeches, as well as the tips to write a compelling speech for graduation.

Graduation Speech Examples

Types of Graduation Speech

There are different types of graduation speeches based on the message students want to deliver in their speeches. Therefore, a student must know which category their speech fits in to know what is expected from them.

Serious speech

These types of speeches should focus on the knowledge and life skills you have gathered from your school, and they should also highlight what your fellow students have learned over the years.

Such a speech can be based on the following topics:

• Life lessons : the speech can focus on the student’s practical life skills that enabled them to excel in their school life. For example, your speech should show how to relate with others and how you worked hard to achieve your goals.
• Facing and overcoming problems : the speech can focus on the challenges faced by students and how they managed to overcome these challenges . For example, how you survived in a different country and overcame the language barrier.
• Maturity : the speech focuses on how school experience helped you become more responsible, make better decisions, and develop good character . For example, these speeches can highlight how students matured and evolved from newcomers to senior students.

Inspirational speech

For such speeches, you should focus on inspiring and motivating your fellow graduates and other audience. Therefore, these speeches are usually emotional and can be constructed based on the following topics:

• Reflections and memoirs : the speech can focus on the memories you created together with your fellow students and how these memories changed all of you.
• Expressing gratitude : the speech should be based on thanking your teachers, family, friends, and parents for their support while studying.
• Inspirational quotes : your speech can start with an inspiring quote that will help you prepare a logical speech based on your theme. 
• Song lyrics : you can choose a familiar song among your fellow students and use it to base the speech’s theme. Also, you may choose to pick a section of the lyrics and make it the opening statement of your speech.
• Inspiring storie s: select any famous and inspirational stories that helped shape you and your fellow students into the people you have become and relate them to the speech’s theme.
• Anecdotes : you can choose to prepare your speech based on motivational stories that show how you bonded with your fellow students. However, avoid embarrassing stories that might offend the audience.
• Student accomplishments : your speech can also focus on your fellow students’ achievements that impacted your school years. These accomplishments should relay inspiration to others about achieving what they desire through hard work and commitment.

Funny speech

These speeches focus on funny stories that brought students together and helped to shape their academic life. Some of the funny stories your speech can be based on include:

• Recent school events like a minor mistake in the laboratory
• Humility to wisdom stories like an embarrassing event that taught students a particular lesson
• Funny and inspirational social media stories or quotes
• Use funny but appropriate jokes to add humor to your speech
• Classic and well-known funny quotes

Creative speech

The other type of the speech is the creative one that focuses on spinning the message to create a well-crafted and unique speech. For instance:

• Write a speech that does not follow the traditional format by using poems, metaphors, and even spoken words.
• Let your speech have a unique story that makes it interesting to listen to and still offers a lesson.
• Use quotes from children’s books to prepare the speech that will evoke nostalgia.
• If there is a graduation song, use its lyrics to craft your speech to make it relatable to your fellow graduates.

Related: 20+ Best Informative Speech Outline Examples [How to Write]

Ideas for Graduation Speech

Selecting the type of speech you want to prepare and give to the graduation audience is the first step. The next step is to select a theme that your speech will focus on. 

With a clear theme, you can bring your speech ideas together in a cohesive manner. Here are some of the themes and ideas for your speech:

Class president speech idea

As the class president, here are some ideas that you can use to prepare your speech. You can choose to inspire your fellow students never to give up and aspire to do more incredible things by giving them some real-life examples in your speech. The speech can be based on showing gratitude towards your fellow graduates. You can also craft a speech that focuses on a particular inspirational message relatable to the audience.

High school speech idea

The ideas can focus on different things. You can choose to inform your fellow students about the importance of focusing on the future. The speech can be prepared to show gratitude and thank your family, teachers, friends, and fellow students. A speech that creates nostalgia using some memories is also another great idea for this speech.

8th-grade speech idea

As a graduating eighth-grade student, your speech should be short and creative to ensure everyone receives the intended message. It should also focus on positivity to encourage fellow graduates to look into the future with hope. Another great idea is to prepare a relatable message for all your fellow students and not just a particular group of people.

Elementary speech idea

For this speech, one of the ideas that you can use is funny stories to create humor for the kids. Your speech can also be made up of outstanding memories shared by the students. You should ensure that the speech is short since children have a short attention span. The tone in your speech should also be cheerful and relaxed.

Pre-writing Considerations

Before the actual writing of the speech, there are some considerations that you should keep in mind. Here are some of the pre-writing considerations to prepare the speech:

Brainstorming 

As you choose to present the speech, the first step is to think about what you want to write and the kind of representation the speech will have. Next, you can consider the skills achieved, experiences, life skills, and the educational knowledge gathered.

Brainstorming allows you to come up with inspirational ideas that focus on the future. You should always take your time to review the ideas you have gotten while brainstorming. 

Search for an inspiration

With the many ideas you have from brainstorming, you should search for as many inspirations as you can. Searching for inspiration can be done by accessing examples of the speeches to get an idea of how they are written. You can also get inspiration from music, poetry, or books. The inspiration should determine the idea or theme you choose for your speech.

Choose a theme

The theme you choose for your speech should be what feels most important to you. For example, it may be funny stories, nostalgia from different memories, or an inspirational narration. The theme should be relatable to you and resonate with most of your peers. It should also be inspiring and focuses on a particular theme or a chain of linking themes.

You should then Google your chosen example or theme to find out more about how you can craft the speech. You will be able to gather more information once you start googling and writing the main points down. Soon after, you can start weaving the ideas together and create a compelling speech. Ensure that even if you Google, you add a personal touch to your speech preparations.

Guide to Write Graduation Speech

After observing all the pre-writing considerations, you are ready to write your speech. To prepare and write a compelling speech, here is a step-by-step guide along with examples you should follow:

Build a basic structure 

With your theme in mind, you should build the structure of your speech. Start with an attention-grabbing and powerful introductory statement to get the attention of your audience. The first few moments of delivering the speech will determine whether your audience will listen to you or not.

The next step is to highlight your theme by listing down what you will tell your audience. These relatable stories can present a challenge that you could solve later on in the story. It would be best to mention the lessons you learned as a student and the experiences you gained.

The last part is to end this section by cohesively repeating your main points. Then, make your main message clear to your audience once more, and finally, advise your audience as you conclude the speech.

Introduce yourself

Ensure you introduce yourself since the audience will relate with you better. You can start by thanking the person that introduced you to the stage, appreciating the audience, mentioning your name, and welcoming everyone to listen to your speech.

Write down how you wish to start your speech to ensure you have an effective plan.

To be more relatable to your audience, you need to tell a story related to your theme. It helps to avoid boredom and helps the audience to understand your message better. Personal experiences, shared memories, and anecdotes are essential when writing a compelling speech.

Graduation wishes

You should not forget to include a moment in your speech when you will share graduation messages and wishes to your fellow graduates. The graduation ceremony is all about you as a student, so you must focus on that in your speech. In addition, prepare particular messages for the graduating class.

Memorable ending

For the final part of your speech, try to end with something inspiring and memorable. Your conclusion should tie up all the main points you presented in a motivational or funny way. You can also use quotes at the end of your speech.

Tips for Writing Graduation Speech

Here are some tips that you should observe when preparing and delivering your speech:

Take time to write

If appointed valedictorian, then you should take your time to prepare, create a structure and write the speech. Since it is an important speech, you will be representing your graduating class, which means that you need to take your time to research and prepare a great speech.

Remove repetitive content

As much as you wish to repeat and highlight the main points, you should reduce the repetitive content. This way, you will have enough time to deliver your speech without making your audience lose interest due to boredom and long speeches. Instead, focus on mentioning the main points you discussed in the speech at the end.

Don’t make it all about you

As the graduating student chooses to prepare and make the speech, you should represent your graduating class.

You should remember the event and write a speech that does not solely focus on you. Your speech should be relatable to your audience, especially your fellow graduates. 

Keep it concise

The speech is an important part of the graduation celebrations. However, a lengthy speech is tiring and will cause your audience to lose concentration. On the other hand, a brief but sweet speech will attract the audience’s attention. Therefore, the speech should not be more than ten minutes long.

Be specific

While writing your speech, focus on the details of any story, event, or memory. Such personal experiences make the speech more personal and compelling to the crowd.

Avoid blunders

When you write a speech, ensure that it represents you, and you will be proud to show it off to others years after you have delivered it. Avoid writing something you will regret or something that does not resonate with you and your beliefs. It is not time to call out a mean teacher, but it is time for celebrating and inspiring others.

Be an inspiration

As you celebrate your and your fellow graduates’ academic achievements, try to focus on inspiring them too. You should deliver a speech that encourages the graduates to look into the future with hope. The n speech should inspire them to make plans and look forward to what will come after graduation.

Avoid famous quotes

For the speeches, it is not wise to use famous quotes. This is because people listen to what you have to say and not what a famous author says. You are the speaker, and you should deliver your speech in a manner that tells the crowd what you have to say.

Thank the audience

Remember to thank different members of the audience. The teachers, family members, friends, and fellow graduates listen to you. In addition, you can choose to recognize someone in the audience who had a significant impact on not only your life but also on the majority of the students.

Edit the speech

Remember to go through your speech to proofread and edit out mistakes after writing it. You do not want to have a speech with the wrong information and lose trust with your audience. Edit your speech to ensure you have facts and all the information written is correct.

How to Deliver a Speech?

Apart from writing the speech, how you choose to present the speech also matters. Here is how you can deliver a speech to make it compelling, inspiring, and a memorable occasion:

Learn by heart

You should practice your speech so that you know it by heart. Memorizing your speech helps to add a personal touch when you make the delivery. This is because reading the speech might make you sound disinterested and impersonal. However, you can carry some notes that will help to remind you of your speech.

Time your speech

As you practice, time yourself to see how long your speech takes. Your speech should be about ten minutes long to ensure your audience’s attention is still intact and that they are listening.

Speak slowly

Ensure that you do not rush when delivering the speech to avoid sounding nervous. Instead, try and focus on speaking slowly by enunciating every word in your speech correctly. In case you start to rush, take a moment to breathe. You can make necessary and inoffensive jokes or funny stories in between your pauses.

Incorporate emotions

Ensure you change your tone according to the emotions being represented by the speech. For example, as you deliver the speech, different parts might evoke different emotions. Therefore, it would help to vary your tone to match these emotions.

Make eye contact

Even though you are feeling nervous, you should maintain eye contact with your audience. You can try and calm yourself down by focusing on the back of the room as you speak. Another way to ensure you stay calm but still maintain eye contact is by selecting some people in the crowd and focusing on them.

A graduation speech is an essential speech prepared and given by a graduating student on behalf of the graduating class. Whether it is at the university or elementary level, this speech is an integral part of the graduation ceremony. This means that the chosen student should take their time to properly prepare, write and present the speech before the graduating audience. With this article, a student chosen to prepare the speech can learn what to do before writing the speech, structure the speech, and the tips to observe to create a memorable speech. Students can also access our free and downloadable speech examples to guide them in writing their speeches. Of course, you should also always remember to practice before delivering the speech.

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How to Write a Graduation Speech: Quotations, Outline and Tips

It is a great honor and responsibility to deliver an end of the year speech at a graduation ceremony. That is why you are most likely to go deep into searching for inspiring speech ideas. Naturally, a person who is chosen to speak in front of their peers, parents, and teachers would experience a mixture of feelings – excitement, thrill, agitation, doubt, anxiety, pride – you name it, it’s all there in a young graduate.

Any student hopes to create a powerful and lasting graduation speech wow effect on the audience. For this reason, you will browse through multiple how to speech ideas to simplify the writing process. No matter what you find online, you will still have to make it personal.

Since you will discover many sample motivational speeches and funny graduation speech ideas in your pursuit of perfection, you should make sure to keep the balance between jokes and serious stuff. Sad speeches are also not very popular on graduation day, so try not overwhelming your audience with heavy thoughts.

To brighten up your speech, it is always a good idea to use various sayings such as the end of school quotes, highschool quotes, and graduation quotes from parents. You will find some nice examples further in the article.

Despite the vast number of recipes for a perfect speech, many graduates keep making the same mistakes. To avoid stepping in the same shoes, read on and learn how to write a good motivational graduation speech.

Graduation Speech Outline

A clear and comprehensive outline is a guarantee of success. Having created an efficient point-by-point plan, you will be able to structure your graduation speech clearly and include all necessary ideas. As Heinrich Heine once said: “True eloquence consists in saying all that is necessary, and nothing but what is necessary.”

Like any other piece of writing, a speech should be well thought-out and neatly organized. Since only a thorough preparation brings fruitful results, you will have to create a list of things you want to discuss. The more detailed your outline is, the easier it will be to craft an eloquently impassioned speech.

To ensure you have enough time to proofread your draft and make necessary corrections, it is better not to extend the process of creating an outline. How long before your speech performance should you finish drafting your speech outline? The sooner the better, but not less than two days before the event.

How to Start a Graduation Speech

So how to start off a speech? A good speech should begin with an enticing opening. A catchy introduction captures the attention of the audience and puts everybody in the right mood.

A brilliant speaker should be familiar with the following good ways to start a speech:

• Hook: A sentence or question that immediately connects your listener to you on the emotional level.
• Thesis: One to three sentences stating your intention. It can either be sharing your life story or someone else’s experience that offers a valuable lesson.
• Role model: Introduce the person you look up to and briefly explain why he or she inspires you.
• Theme: Announce the topic of your speech and mention how you connect to it personally. If you choose to talk about a few topics (like confidence, failure, and endurance), name all of them at the beginning.

Whichever option you choose, it is crucial to make your introduction brief and to the point. It will show the listeners your intention to keep the speech short and informative. The audience will appreciate it and lend an attentive ear to your message more willingly.

How to End a Speech

The way your speech ends defines how the audience will remember it. Since we tend to cherish most memorable and important things, the conclusive statement should be strong and impressive. To compose such conclusion, you can try the following methods:

• Leave an inspirational message for student audience
• Make an encouraging call to keep the spirits high
• Use an appealing slogan or catch phrase to end on a positive note
• Include one or two funny graduation messages to lighten the mood after serious conclusions

How to Make a Speech Longer

If a question “how long is my speech?” popped into your head, it means the moment has come to time yourself. In case your speech came out shorter than expected, you can make it longer while keeping it relevant in one of these ways:

• Check whether the speech has an introduction and conclusion. A traditional speech formatting requires a speaker to structure their speech so that it consists of an introduction, body, and conclusion. So you can add a few sentences to either an opening or closing part of your message to strengthen your argument.
• Add an anecdote or story from personal experience to relate to the subject. Even if you have already included a personal example, don’t be shy sharing a few to make a point. The crucial thing here is to ensure the stories you choose to tell are relevant to your main argument.
• Use motivational quotes. You can cite one quote and then repeat it at the end of your speech highlighting its relevance and topicality. Before you settle down on a quote to use, make sure to check its origin in multiple sources.
• Remind your classmates of the good times you had at school. Warm memories evoke pleasant feelings, and this is what graduates need to have on their graduation day – tons of positive emotions. Remember not to embarrass teachers and parents present
• Use graduation slogans. Dream it, believe it, become it. To infinity and beyond. Party hard, Rock and Roll, we’re the class you can’t control!

You can search the web for more examples of popular catch phrases, mottos, slogans, etc., but you can also come up with your own!

8th Grade Graduation Speech

Middle school graduation speeches signify one’s transition to the top level – high school. It is a significant and thrilling moment for a student. To write a fine speech, you don’t have to drag yourself through multiple sample graduation speeches. Just take a moment and think of those three years spent in middle school.

Here is a brief outline for an 8th grade graduation speech to get you going:

• Introduce yourself.
• Share your first memories and impressions at the school.
• Reflect on your experience and tell what you enjoyed about it.
• Talk about your teachers and other students.
• Discuss your prospects for the future.
• Thank your parents, teachers, classmates, administration, and staff for making your middle-school years worthwhile.
• Conclude with one of the best middle school graduation quotes you can find or coin one yourself.

Check out an amazing Jack Aiello’s graduation speech to find some inspiration.

High School Graduation Speech

The second important speech you will either listen to or deliver is usually scheduled for high school graduation. Finishing high school is one of the first greatest achievements of a young person. That is why high school graduation speech ideas revolve around personal accomplishments, funny stories, bright memories, and hopes for successful future.

Even though the end of studying is a happy event, some speakers chose to give rather sad high school graduation speeches. Surely, there are many things to miss about school, but the graduation ceremony should give more positive and aspiring feelings.

In their senior night speeches, high school graduates need to focus on reminding their peers about:

• their achievements at school to boost students’ self-esteem and create a positive image of themselves
• future possibilities to encourage taking a suitable career path and continue grow both personally and professionally

Here are the quotes you can use in your graduation speech:

End of School Quotes

• “If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life.” – Plato
• “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” — Arthur Ashe
• “Change is the end result of all true learning.” – Leo Buscaglia
• “Your life is your story, and the adventure ahead of you is the journey to fulfill your own purpose and potential.” —Kerry Washington
• “A great accomplishment shouldn’t be the end of the road, just the starting point for the next leap forward.” – Harvey Mackay

Highschool Quotes

• “In school, you’re taught a lesson and then given a test. In life, you’re given a test that teaches you a lesson.” – Tom Bodett
• “It doesn’t matter that your dream came true if you spent your whole life sleeping.” – Jerry Zucker
• “True terror is to wake up one morning and discover that your high school class is running the country.” Kurt Vonnegut
• “High school is about finding who you are, because that’s more important than trying to be someone else.” – Nick Jonas
• “What makes a child gifted and talented may not always be good grades in school, but a different way of looking at the world and learning.” – Chuck Grassley

Graduation Quotes from Parents

• Congratulations on your graduation, son! We are proud to see you paving your own way to adult life. We wish you every success in all your future endeavors. Your loving and supportive parents.
• I am sure today is one of your many accomplishments to come. It warms my heart to look back at all the work you have done at school and see your bright future. No matter which path you choose, you can always rely on my complete support and understanding.
• Today is the day to praise your hard work and reflect on the amount of effort put into becoming a graduate. I am a very proud parent of a responsible and smart kid who is now ready to choose his/her own path. I will always be there for you whenever you need me.
• I am both happy and sad to see my little girl graduating. You have become an intelligent young woman so quickly. I am thankful for everything your teachers did to help you grow and become a wonderful person you are.
• You have made this day a very special occasion to all our family. We are all proud to see you graduating and planning your life as a smart and independent adult. We love you and will always support your choices and decisions.

When looking for high school graduation speech examples, you are most likely to find texts that have already been used numerous times. Such speeches are no longer unique or topical. You can use parts of them, but it won’t be enough to construct a speech to remember.

A good high school valedictorian speech example can only offer a few wise thoughts or quotes. However, it will not make your speech as personal as it should be. For a first-time speaker, the best you can take from a sample high school graduation speech is a structure and possible themes. However, you are also at risk of copying clichés and truisms from a sample that will diminish the importance of your message.

Since writing a good speech by yourself can be a time-consuming and exhausting challenge, it is safer to seek professional help. Having found a reliable writing service, you can have a qualified writer compose a speech to remember. While your writer will be working on your message, you carry on with choosing your graduation outfit.

College Graduation Speech

Most college graduation messages tend to look alike and repeat themselves. Naturally, it is not easy to find new words of encouragement for college students every year. Since finishing school is an annual event, college graduation speeches by students are rarely as exciting and memorable as you would expect.

If you consider turning a college graduation speech sample found online into a worthy message, you should realize the risk of getting a second-quality piece of writing. As a rule, sample speeches include numerous sayings and quotes such as cheesy quotes on colleges, pompous college motivation quotes, over-enthusiastic quotes about college life, and tons of overwhelmingly positive quotations on college experiences.

It is utterly up to you what kind of quotes to incorporate into your speech, but here is one of the best how to speech ideas for college students you can find – DO NOT try to stuff your message with as many wise phrases as possible. It is unnatural and rather pretentious, and no one likes it. Using one motivational quote for college students will be enough. You can make it two if they are not too lengthy and add value to your narration.

Here are a few motivational speech topics for college students you can consider to mention in your message to make it worthy and special:

• Personal Growth
• Valuable Contributions
• Humanity and Compassion
• Professional vs. Personal Priorities
• Love and Respect

Graduation Speech Quotes

Here are some quotes from famous people you can use in your speech:

Short Graduation Quotes

• “Take pride in how far you’ve come. Have faith in how far you can go. But don’t forget to enjoy the journey.” —Michael Josephson
• “Patience, persistence and perspiration make an unbeatable combination for success.” – Napoleon Hill
• “Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.” – Albert Einstein
• “Keep in mind that neither success nor failure is ever final.” – Roger Babson
• “Hitch your wagon to a star.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Funny Quotes about Graduation

• “Even if you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” – Will Rogers
• “It is clear the future holds great opportunities. It also holds pitfalls. The trick will be to avoid the pitfalls, seize the opportunities, and get back home by six o’clock.” – Woody Allen
• “If you feel that you have both feet planted on level ground, then the university has failed you.” – Robert Goheen
• “Thankfully dreams can change. If we’d all stuck with our first dream, the world would be overrun with cowboys and princesses. So whatever your dream is right now, if you don’t achieve it, you haven’t failed, and you’re not some loser. But just as importantly—and this is the part I may not get right, and you may not listen to—if you do get your dream, you are not a winner.” – Stephen Colbert
• “Graduates: you will never have more energy or enthusiasm, hair, or brain cells than you have today.” – Tom and Ray, The Car Talk Guys

Quotes about Endings (Finishing)

• “It is always important to know when something has reached its end. Closing circles, shutting doors, finishing chapters, it doesn’t matter what we call it; what matters is to leave in the past those moments in life that are over.” ― Paulo Coelho
• “Life is not so much about beginnings and endings as it is about going on and on and on. It is about muddling through the middle.” – Anna Quindlen
• “In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. And the choices we make are ultimately our own responsibility.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
• “There’s a trick to the ‘graceful exit.’ It begins with the vision to recognize when a job, a life stage, or a relationship is over – and let it go. It means leaving what’s over without denying its validity or its past importance to our lives. It involves a sense of future, a belief that every exit line is an entry, that we are moving up, rather than out.” – Ellen Goodman
• “I wanted a perfect ending. Now I’ve learned, the hard way, that some poems don’t rhyme, and some stories don’t have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Life is about not knowing, having to change, taking the moment and making the best of it, without knowing what’s going to happen next. Delicious Ambiguity.” – Gilda Radner

“Oh the Places You’ll Go” Quotes for Graduation

• “Oh the places you’ll go! There is fun to be done! There are points to be scored. There are games to be won. And the magical things you can do with that ball will make you the winning-est winner of all.”
• “Congratulations! Today is your day. You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And you know what you know. You are the guy who’ll decide where to go.”
• “Kid, you’ll move mountains.”
• “You’re off to Great Places! Today is your day! Your mountain is waiting, So… get on your way!”
• “You’ll get mixed up, of course, as you already know. You’ll get mixed up with many strange birds as you go. So be sure when you step. Step with care and great tact and remember that Life’s a Great Balancing Act. Just never forget to be dexterous and deft. And never mix up your right foot with your left.”

Spiritual Graduation Quotes

• “What we are is God’s gift to us. What we become is our gift to God.” – Eleanor Powell
• “You get to consciously decide what has meaning and what doesn’t. You get to decide what to worship.” – David Foster Wallace
• “Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seeds that you plant.” – Robert Louis Stevenson
• “God wants us to know that life is a series of beginnings, not endings. Just as graduations are not terminations, but commencements. Creation is an ongoing process, and when we create a perfect world where love and compassion are shared by all, suffering will cease.” – Bernie Siegel
• “You have to leave the city of your comfort and go into the wilderness of your intuition. You can’t get there by bus, only by hard work and risk and by not quite knowing what you’re doing, but what you’ll discover will be wonderful. What you’ll discover will be yourself.” – Alan Alda

By now, you should realize that writing senior class president graduation speeches or simple thank you speech for graduation is not that simple at all. To save your time and ensure your farewell message to peers, teachers, and parents is both valuable and entertaining, consider getting a part of speech help from reputable speech writing services . So don’t hold off the joy of getting a speech to remember and order one from a professional writer.

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Graduation Speech

A Graduation Speech Writing Guide with Examples

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Standing on the edge of a new chapter, filled with a mix of excitement and nerves? If you're about to graduate, that's probably how you feel.

With the big day approaching, you might be thinking, "How do I write my graduation speech? Can I get some help with it?"

Don't worry! In this blog, we'll show you how to write a graduation speech that resonates with your audience and makes a lasting impression.

You will get to learn the tips and tricks to create a speech that not only captures attention but also inspires your fellow graduates. So, let's turn your nerves into confidence as we explore the art of writing and delivering a graduation speech.

Paper Due? Why Suffer? That's our Job!

• 1. What is a Graduation Speech? 
• 2. How to Write a Graduation Speech? 
• 3. Graduation Speech Examples
• 4. Graduation Speeches From Famous Figures
• 5. Best Graduation Speech Ideas - 2024 
• 6. Graduation Speech Writing Tips

What is a Graduation Speech? 

A graduation speech is a short address given by a graduating student or guest speaker during a graduation ceremony. This type of speech is a chance to reflect on the journey through school, share memorable experiences, and offer words of wisdom and encouragement for the future. 

Basically, it's a way to celebrate achievements, express gratitude, and inspire fellow graduates as they step into the next phase of their lives.

Basic Elements of Graduation Speech 

Here are the vital elements you should consider:

How to Write a Graduation Speech? 

Writing an inspiring graduation speech that stands out isn't as tough as it seems. With a bit of structure and creativity, you can deliver the best special occasion speech that leaves a lasting impact on your audience. 

 Here's a step-by-step guide on how to create an impressive graduation speech:

Step 1: Begin with a Memorable Opening

Start with an attention-grabbing quote, a personal story, or a thought-provoking question. This sets the tone for your speech and captures your audience's interest right away.

Step 2: Express Gratitude

Show appreciation to your teachers, parents, and fellow students. Acknowledge how their support and contributions have played a crucial role in your academic journey. This adds a positive and grateful touch to your speech.

Step 3: Reflect and Inspire

Share personal stories and school experiences that have had a significant impact on you and your classmates. Use these anecdotes to connect emotionally with your audience. Then, provide words of inspiration and motivation, encouraging your fellow graduates to embrace the future with confidence and courage.

Step 4: Share Advice and Emphasize Unity

Offer life lessons and insights you've learned during your academic journey. Talk about pursuing goals, overcoming challenges, and maintaining a positive outlook on life. 

Highlight the importance of unity and the bonds formed with your classmates, emphasizing the strength of shared experiences and friendships.

Step 5: Discuss Dreams and Conclude

Talk about your hopes and dreams for the future, both for yourself and your fellow graduates. Paint a vivid picture of the exciting possibilities ahead. 

Conclude your speech with a memorable message that resonates with your audience, leaving them with a lasting impression or a call to action that inspires them to face the future with enthusiasm.

Graduation Speech Examples

Looking for inspiration for your own graduation speech? Here is a short graduation speech:

Read some more diverse graduation speech samples to spark your creativity:

Graduation Speech for Kindergarten - Example

Graduation Speech for Kids

8th Grade Graduation Speech

High School Graduation Speech

Explore a collection of inspiring graduation speeches, each offering a unique perspective on this momentous occasion.

Graduation Speech by Students - Example

Graduation Speech for Parents - Example

Graduation Speech by Teacher - Example

Graduation Speech by Principal- Example

Graduation Speech Thanking Teachers

Graduation Speeches From Famous Figures

Notable figures, from celebrities to accomplished professionals, often deliver inspiring graduation speeches, sharing their wisdom, experiences, and advice with the graduates. 

In this section, we explore some remarkable graduation speeches that have left a lasting impact on audiences worldwide.

• Taylor Swift's Graduation Speech : Taylor Swift, known for her music, encouraged graduates to fearlessly pursue their dreams and see challenges as opportunities.
• Rory Gilmore's Graduation Speech : Rory Gilmore, from "Gilmore Girls," reflected on her academic journey and the role of family and friendships in her success.
• Ree Drummond at Oklahoma State University : Ree Drummond, the Pioneer Woman, emphasized perseverance, passion, and staying true to oneself in achieving goals.
• Steve Jobs' Stanford Commencement Speech 2005 : Steve Jobs, Apple's co-founder, shared personal stories of setbacks and successes. He urged graduates to follow their passions and make a difference.

Best Graduation Speech Ideas - 2024 

Here are some interesting and fun graduation speech ideas.

• Talk about a current school event.
• Try something new like poetry or metaphors to make your speech interesting.
• What was the driving force of the class of 2023.
• Use graduation speech quotes from famous and classic books.
• Use lyrics from the class anthem.
• Be inspirational and share an inspirational story.
• Share a humorous experience.
• Convey a memorable message.
• If appropriate, add a song with meaning.
• Appreciate a fellow classmate or a teacher.
• Connect your speech with your 1st day at school.
• Significant events that took place in the school.
• A professor that made you fall in love with a major subject.
• The long time you spent in the school library.
• Tell me about who inspired you the most in your life. 

Graduation Speech Writing Tips

Crafting a memorable graduation speech can be a rewarding yet challenging task. Here are some essential tips to help you write an impactful and engaging speech for your big day:

• Know Your Audience: Understanding your audience is crucial to tailor your speech effectively.
• Start Strong: An attention-grabbing beginning sets the tone for your speech.
• Tell Personal Stories: Personal anecdotes and experiences create a meaningful connection.
• Inspire and Motivate: Your speech should encourage confidence about the future.
• Share Practical Advice: Offering practical life advice adds value to your speech.
• Embrace Humor: Appropriately used humor can engage your audience.
• Be Concise: Keeping your speech at an appropriate length is essential to maintain interest.
• Practice and Rehearse: Preparation ensures confidence in your delivery.
• End on a High Note: A memorable conclusion leaves a lasting impression.

As you take that first step forward, congratulations on your graduation, and we wish you the best of luck in whatever comes next. We hope this graduation speech guide has given you some pointers for what to say in your speech.

If you need further help, you can avail of our assistance and get your speech before the big day.

At MyPerfectWords.com , one of the best essay writing service for college , we help new graduates make their day memorable by delivering quality speeches.

Buy speech from us and get ready to shine.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to say in a graduation speech.

In a graduation speech, you should typically express gratitude, reflect on memorable moments, offer words of inspiration, share practical advice, and end with a meaningful conclusion that resonates with your audience.

What is a good start to a graduation speech?

A good start to a graduation speech can be with an attention-grabbing quote, a personal anecdote, or a thought-provoking question that sets the tone for your speech and captures the audience's interest right from the beginning.

For example; "Have you ever stood at the edge of a mountain, looking out at the vast horizon ahead, feeling a mix of excitement and uncertainty? Today, graduates, we stand at our own metaphorical mountain peak, ready to conquer new heights. As we gather here to celebrate our achievements, let us reflect on the journey that brought us to this moment of triumph."

How do you write a 3-minute graduation speech?

To write a 3-minute graduation speech, focus on brevity and clarity. Outline your main points clearly, use simple language, and avoid going into too much detail. Practice your speech to ensure it fits within the time limit while effectively conveying your message.

What is a good quote for a graduate?

Here's a quote that's often used for graduates: "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." – Henry David Thoreau

This quote encourages graduates to pursue their dreams fearlessly and with confidence.

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Dr. Barbara is a highly experienced writer and author who holds a Ph.D. degree in public health from an Ivy League school. She has worked in the medical field for many years, conducting extensive research on various health topics. Her writing has been featured in several top-tier publications.

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A-Z Guide on Writing a Breathtaking Graduation Speech

Hrideep barot.

• Public Speaking , Speech Topics , Speech Writing

A graduation speech is delivered with the intent to honour past successes and failures, as well as future hopes. The style of this type of speech should be brief and entertaining. 

A graduation speech or a graduation address is delivered by a graduating student from high school, college or university. A student speaker may talk in place of or in cooperation with a prominent outside figure. Student commencement speakers are frequently valedictorians or are otherwise elected to represent the student body by their peers.

It is quite a difficult job to speak confidently in front of a large crowd, especially on such an important event, like graduation day. However, if you want to become an effective speaker in from of your peers, you have selected the right article. So, READ ON. 

Major constituents of a graduation speech

The primary components of crafting an effective graduation speech are to express gratitude for the opportunities and successes received, as well as future expectations. 

Make sure that the speech stays on schedule. It should not exceed the set time duration which could cause boredom and exasperation amongst the audience.

“Be truthful, be brief, be seated” Franklin D. Roosevelt

2. Short and sweet

Avoid boring your audience by giving a lengthy and monotonous speech. It should be to the point and contain relevant incidents. 

“Always be shorter than anyone dared to hope!” Lord Reading

3. Memories

A graduation speech should be a blend of laughter, tears and triumphs. 

4. Achievements

Highlight your achievements while also jokingly mentioning your failures. 

5. Reflection

Consider current events which provide an opportunity to express your serious viewpoints to an adult. 

6. The Aftermath

Acquired abilities and skills that will help you succeed in the future. 

What to say in a graduation speech?

A graduation speech has a standard outline that a speaker must follow to become an effective orator in front of their peers and teachers. It is not necessary to adhere to all the steps, however, the speaker could modify the outline as per his or her style. 

1. Start by expressing gratitude

When you are invited to the podium for delivering your speech, always remember to commence it by giving a note of gratitude to the previous speaker who introduced you, for the introduction as well as for the work they perform at the school or university. 

2. Make an introduction 

Do not take it for granted that everyone in the audience knows you. Hence, it is significant to introduce yourself briefly to the audience and inform them of the purpose of you giving the speech. However, usually, the host or the anchor introduces you before inviting you to speak. In this case, you can ignore introducing yourself again.

3. Remember the beautiful memories

The whole purpose of a graduation speech is to recall and reminisce the memories which you have created in your school or university days. Hence, you should create an atmosphere that forces your peers to remember the good times they have spent with each other and they cherish them forever.

For example,

• Memorable event in which you all participated together
• Your discussions about the teachers who supported you
• The mischievous actions and punishments during your time in the institution
• Your actions to fulfil your ambitions
• The joyful and sorrowful moments with your friends

4. Encourage your peers to action

Inspire your classmates to take action as well as encourage them by sharing your experiences to step up and go change the world. Demonstrate how, as a result, it relates to your class’s educational experiences. This will make a chance of creating a strong bond between you and your peers and make them enthusiastic about the future. You should also tell your peers that they have the skills and abilities that are required to be successful in the future with an optimistic tone. 

5. End the speech

The last important aspect of a graduation speech is to thank the audience for their valuable time. On the other hand, in the end, you should also thank your classmates or peers for the wonderful memories you had created with them. 

Go through this article for more useful insights: Your guide to writing the perfect valedictorian speech with sample speech

How to start a graduating speech?

The opening statement of your graduation speech offers the audience a decent indication of the whole content of your speech. Consequently, it is significant to choose a memorable opening for your speech which could be useful in conveying your message. Some beneficial and effective ways to start your graduating speech are:

1. Ask rhetorical questions

A rhetorical question is a figure of speech or literary device which is posed to create an emphasis or potency without anticipating a response or answer. Though, it is sometimes possible for the questioner to state the answer immediately. Moreover, t is used to convince the audience and determine the way they perceive a particular subject.

For example, 

• What if I didn’t like high school or college?
• Where would life take me?
• What kind of person would I be in 5, 10, or 15 years?

2. Begin with a story

As I have stated, any speech should include stories and experiences. Furthermore, it is a better way to incorporate them into your speech right at the start. Stories will hook your audience from the start, increasing the likelihood that they will stay with you until the finish.

For instance, in Grade 12, one of my classmates pranked me by connecting my computer to the projector…

Several other examples include:

• Describe a strong relationship
• Narrate a lousy experience
• Talk about the notorious activities

3. Make Use Of Objects

Another excellent technique to begin your speech is by using certain objects or props. They are alluring, and when used appropriately, they can tell your audience a whole tale. However, one thing to bear in mind when employing props is that they must be related to the issue at hand. Do not merely use a prop because it is present but not required.

Several examples of props are:

• A yearbook from school or college
• Photographs
• An account of a well-known school incident
• A meal to remember

Read this article for more useful insights: 10 of the best things to say in opening remarks

How to end a graduating speech?

As your closing words have a lasting impact, hence, you must leave an impression on the audience. The conclusion of your speech is your last chance to restate the main point, excite the audience, encourage a group to act, shift someone’s perspective, or leave a lasting impression.

The audience tends to remember what a speaker just said due to the “Recency effect” in learning. As a result, the ending of your speech makes the audience aware that it is approaching the end, aiding them in recalling the main elements of the entire issue. 

1. Restate the central idea

To begin with, it is important to restate the major point of your speech at the starting of your conclusion. You should make it unique and interesting for the listeners. Moreover, you do not give them the impression that you’re just doing it again.

2. Encapsulate the points

In the conclusion, it is always a good idea to summarise the main points. Instead of simply repeating the points, you should explain to the audience how those points strengthened your assertion or statement. In addition, draw them all into an exceptional force to support your main idea.

3. End by creating an impact

Your conclusion should be such that it makes the audience happy and contented as well as inquisitive to hear more. Consider ending on a captivating note when writing your conclusion. You might end your speech with a rhetorical question, a quotation or a noteworthy statement or phrase. Connecting your main point to a more detailed situation is another way to give your audience a good ending. Also, keep in mind that the last sentence of your speech requires extra effort.

Go through this article for more information: 10 of the best things to say in closing remarks

Themes for a graduation speech

Sometimes, it becomes an arduous job to select or choose a topic for the speech. Nevertheless, the following are a few ideas for a graduation speech which would help in attracting the audience and impressing them. 

1. Events of school/college

Investing several years in an institution creates a strong relationship between the student and the organisation. You can take this time to reflect on earlier events at school, such as a win over a competitor, a minor accident in one of the scientific laboratories, or a prank on a senior or junior. It will undoubtedly be a hit with the students.

2. Step up from unconventional methods

Break out from the standard format of a graduation speech. Attempt employing distinctive methods and metaphors in your speech, or experiment with spoken word poetry. Some other unconventional methods could also include singing a few lines, narrating a story, doing mimicry etc.

3. Storytelling

We are always open to hearing new and fascinating stories. What distinguishes your experience from others? What have you learned from it? You can convey it to the audience for their constant attention. 

4. Showing gratitude

Use the opportunity to give the graduation address to express your gratitude to your peers, friends, parents and teachers in the audience who helped and supported you and made your graduation possible.

5. Setting high goals

“If your dreams don’t scare you, they aren’t big enough” Anonymous

Choosing this topic for your graduation speech is a good idea to keep reminding yourself of your goals and dreams as you prepare to enter a crucial new period of your life. Moreover, you can also discuss your inspiration for dreaming big, such as a teacher, a book you read, a movie you saw, or a life turning point.

Examples of graduation speeches

Some speeches are good however some are excellent. Let’s take a look at some of the excellent graduation speeches by students and also by some famous personalities at the graduation ceremonies.

1. Chase Dahl

Chase Dahl was the student speaker at the Weber High School graduation for the class of 2015. 

Takeaway – This speech is a perfect example of blending confidence, humour, and motivation in a graduation speech. Furthermore, the way of its delivery should be noted.

2. Henry Goddard

Henry Goddard delivered his valedictorian speech at the Prince Edward Collegiate Institute in 2010.

Takeaway – This speech summed up the speaker’s high school experiences in a great way using humour , wherever required, as well as ending it on an inspiring note.

3. Kyle Martin

Kyle Martin delivered his valedictorian speech at The King’s Academy in 2019.

Takeaway – This speech is an excellent example of organising your graduation speech around a key theme which makes it more enticing and eye-catching. In addition, it allows you to choose and organise your own speech.

How long should be the graduation speech?

A graduation speech ought to be concise so that they do not become monotonous and boring for the audience. Furthermore, it should cover only the relevant points related to the theme or subject matter with brief examples. 

A graduation speech delivered by a student, like a valedictorian, should not last more than 5 – 12 minutes . Consequently, the speech should contain 600 – 1450 words .

On the other hand, a graduation speech delivered by the principal or a guest, such as a famous personality, should not be of more than 15 – 20 minutes. Consequently, it should contain 1800 – 2400 words . 

Sample Graduation Speech

​​My fellow graduates and friends, it is an honor to speak to all of you today. We’ve just been here for (number) years and it’s already time to depart. How did everything happen so quickly? Many individuals believe that today is the first day of our journey. I don’t agree. It all started a long time ago. Today happens to be the day when the road we’ve been on breaks into (number of students) different roads. Until now, we’ve been a team that has walked as one. We’ve done everything, and we’ve done everything together. Many of us have been members of our school system since kindergarten, thirteen years ago, and I’d want to take us all back to (date). This was our first day of school and the start of our adventure. Parents and grandparents escorted us to the bus stop, where we took over a thousand photographs. We are now at the point where four highways are merging into one, and four schools are merging into one. Middle School -­-­ I believe I can speak for all of us when I say that these were the most awkward three years of our lives. I’m sure every student had the same idea when we stepped into freshman orientation “Oh my goodness! Those lockers are monstrous!” In the end, we didn’t use them at all. And now, we have arrived. Everyone should be proud of their accomplishments. These past few years have been nothing short of a triumph. However, it was not a simple task. Take a peek at the previous year. Because of a record-breaking snowstorm that made February break last forever, and not to mention Covid 19, I honestly didn’t believe we’d graduate this year. We’ve arrived. It was a success! Our guidance through high school was the tradition of adulthood. As a result of our journey, we have arrived at today, (date). This is the point in our journey where we take a break to rest and reflect on everything we’ve accomplished. What we’ve accomplished together over the last few years is simply amazing. We stayed together and matured together, and I couldn’t have asked for a better class to be in. I believe in each and every one of you, that no matter which path you pick, you will make it your own and achieve your goals. As I look out at all of you, I know I’ll be measuring my time here in a different way. I’ll gauge it by the friendships I’ve developed over the last four years. Some were casual, while others were more intimate, but I’ll remember them all warmly, as I’m sure you will. And as many of our high school memories fade, that’ll be how we’ll remember our time here, not in terms of periods, semesters, or years, but in terms of the friendships we formed and the moments we spent together. Congratulations to my classmates from the class of (year). May we always be friends when we meet again, no matter where we go or what we do.

Final words

A graduation speech delivered by a student is only a one time opportunity. Hence, it is important to take this chance worthwhile and become an effective public speaker. Consequently, it is significant to deliver the graduation speech in such a way that it does not look monotonous and boring to the audience. Moreover, it should grab the audience’s attention and should be thought-provoking and inspirational. 

In addition, the selection of the speech topic should be done meticulously. It is the theme that either makes or breaks the impression of the speaker. Furthermore, a graduation speech should be a blend of humour and intellectuality in which past experiences and future hopes are discussed.

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Writing Guides

How to Write An Unforgettable Graduation Speech

Pages: 3 (922 words)

Subject: Education

Topic: Graduation

Document Type: Writing Guide

Document: #M27184550

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Table of Contents

What is a graduation speech, how do i write a graduation speech, graduation speech outline, graduation speech template, graduation speech example.

If you were honored with the task of delivering a graduation speech, you might be worried right about now if this is something you have never done. This article will help you outline and compose the best graduation speech possible so that you can inspire your audience. Writing an unforgettable graduation speech starts with you getting in touch with what it really is that you want to say.

The best graduation speeches have punchy themes that you can transform into a piece of good advice. A graduation speech should be inspiring and uplifting, remaining lighthearted even when you are talking about serious issues.

Some graduation speeches are delivered by students in the graduating class. However, you might have been asked to speak at a graduation as a guest. Either way, the goal of the graduation speech is to inspire as well as to reflect on the past year.

Typically a graduation speech is short and punchy. You can tell a serious story at the beginning to raise interest and engage the audience. However, the spirit of the speech should be positive and optimistic.

Writing an outline first will vastly improve the quality of your speech and the confidence you have in delivering it. The following is just an example of how you can organize your graduation speech.

There are no rules in a graduation speech, but generally you will want a strong opener to engage the audience, a body that inspires and uplifts, and finish with a call to action.

I. Introduction: Getting everyone’s attention

A. Opening statement, use one of the following:

1. State a mind-blowing fact in the form of a question to immediately engage the audience, as in, “Did you know...?”

2. List an alarming statistic to arouse audience emotion and gain attention.

3. Tell a brief but powerful story that leads into your main idea.

4. Tell a joke.

B. Properly introduce yourself and the theme of the speech.

II. Body: Inspire!

A. How the main idea applies to a specific area of life.

B. Apply the main idea to another area of life.

C. Inspire the audience to take action.

1. Be specific

2. Give advice. 

III. Conclusion: Leave them on a high note.

A. Refer back to the opening factoid, statistic, story, or joke, but briefly, only to provide a sense of closure.

B. Emphasize the importance of taking action and personal responsibility to use education for the greater good as well as self-improvement.

C. End on a positive note of congratulations.

You can use the following template to guide you when writing your own graduation speech.

Opening: Hello Class of 2020! Big thanks to the Principal/Dean. I am so honored to be here with you today, Class of 2020. 

Anecdote: The person who stands before you today is not the person who first started the tenth grade at this High School. When I was twelve, I was faced with a major choice many twelve year-olds typically do not have to face. I had to decide whether to join a gang or not. My mother had fallen ill two months earlier. For years, we knew my brother was involved in gangs but he pretended not to be. As his little brother, I wanted to be just like him...

Meaning and Inspiration: Now I stand before you today, the valedictorian of the Class of 2020. I want you all to know how proud I am of each and over one of you here today.

Call to Action: No matter who you are, or what your plans are for the future, I am going to ask you for one thing, just one thing...

Concluding remarks: Kill it, Class of 2020! Go out there and live your dreams!

Hello Class of 2020! Big thanks to the Principal/Dean. I am so honored to be here with you today, Class of 2020. 

When I was twelve, I was faced with a major choice many twelve year-olds typically do not have to face. I had to decide whether to join a gang or not. My mother had fallen ill two months earlier. For years, we knew my brother was involved in gangs but he pretended not to be. As his little brother, I wanted to be just like him. And then I met Mr. Bernhart.

Mr. Bernhart helped turn my life around. He saw in me what I could not yet see in myself. He recognized how I cared about other people, and it pained him to see so many young people like me miss out on the opportunity to grow into our greatness.

We all need mentors in our lives, people who see us for who we really are. Some of you have had it easy. Others, like me, have had to work hard to get where we are. No matter what it is that you want, if you are willing to work as hard as you need to in order to achieve your goal, you can get it. I’m here telling you this because I know it is true. I was never the smartest one, and I certainly wasn’t the prettiest. But because of my mentor and the support I received at this High School, here I am about to go to college. I can’t wait to find out what comes next for me, and also for you. 

Keep it real Class of 2020. I love you guys!

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Crafting Your Commencement Speech Outline

Introduction:.

A well-structured commencement speech can inspire, motivate, and leave a lasting impression on your audience. Creating an outline for your speech can help ensure that your message is clear, focused, and effectively communicated. In this step-by-step guide, we will walk you through the process of crafting a commencement speech outline that will serve as the foundation for a memorable and impactful address.

Step 1: Define your central theme or message

Begin by identifying the central theme or message you want to convey in your speech. This theme should be something that resonates with your fellow graduates and reflects the essence of your address. Examples of themes include perseverance, gratitude, embracing change, or following one's passion.

Step 2: Develop your introduction

Your introduction should grab your audience's attention and set the tone for your speech. Consider starting with a personal anecdote, a surprising fact, or a thought-provoking question. Be sure to briefly introduce your central theme and provide an overview of what your speech will cover.

Step 3: Share personal stories and experiences

Personal stories and experiences can make your speech more relatable and engaging. Use anecdotes that illustrate your central theme and demonstrate the lessons you've learned. Be sure to connect these stories to the broader audience by highlighting the universal emotions and experiences they evoke.

Step 4: Incorporate supporting points

Develop supporting points that reinforce your central theme and provide additional insights. These points may include quotes from notable figures, relevant statistics, or lessons learned from your own experiences. Be sure to explain how each supporting point relates to your central theme.

Step 5: Address challenges and obstacles

Acknowledge the challenges and obstacles you and your fellow graduates have faced during your academic journey. Discuss how these experiences have shaped you and contributed to your growth. Emphasize the importance of resilience and adaptability in overcoming adversity.

Step 6: Express gratitude

Take a moment to express gratitude to the people who have supported and guided you throughout your academic journey. This may include family members, friends, teachers, and mentors. Acknowledging their contributions demonstrates humility and appreciation.

Step 7: Offer inspiration and encouragement

Provide your audience with inspiration and encouragement for the next chapter of their lives. Offer insights, advice, or words of wisdom that will motivate and empower them as they embark on their future endeavors.

Step 8: Conclude your speech

Wrap up your speech by summarizing your main points and reiterating your central theme. End on a high note, leaving your audience with a memorable takeaway or call to action that will stay with them long after the ceremony has ended.

Conclusion:

Creating a commencement speech outline is an essential step in crafting a memorable and impactful address. By following this step-by-step guide, you can develop a well-structured outline that will serve as the foundation for your speech. Whether you choose to write your speech yourself or use the Graduation Speech Co.'s AI-driven service, remember the importance of a strong outline and use it to create a truly inspiring and unforgettable address.

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16 Best Graduation Speeches That Leave a Lasting Impression

Some of the most impactful and inspiring sentiments are shared during graduation speeches delivered by the leaders we look up to. Graduation speeches from celebrities , entrepreneurs, authors and other influential thinkers are motivational, inspiring, thought-provoking and just might make you reach for the nearest tissue. After four years of hard work, stress, and exhausting self-discovery, lucky graduates are privy to a life-changing speech to top it all off.

Here, we rounded up up 16 of the best graduation speeches of all time, including words of wisdom from Natalie Portman, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, and more.

1. Steve Jobs: Stanford, 2005

"You've got to find what you love. And that is as true for your work as it is for your lovers. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle. As with all matters of the heart, you'll know when you find it."

2. Michelle Obama: Tuskegee University, 2015

"I've found that this journey has been incredibly freeing. Because no matter what happened, I had the piece of mind knowing that all of the chatter, the name-calling, the doubting...all of it was just noise. It did not define me, it didn't change who I was, and most importantly, it couldn't hold me back."

3. Natalie Portman: Harvard, 2015

"I just directed my first film. I was completely unprepared, but my own ignorance to my own limitations looked like confidence and got me into the director's chair. Once there, I had to figure it all out, and my belief that I could handle these things, contrary to all evidence of my ability to do so was half the battle. The other half was very hard work. The experience was the deepest and most meaningful one of my career."

4. Amy Poehler: Harvard University, 2011

"What I have discovered is this: You can't do it alone … Listen. Say 'yes.' Live in the moment. Make sure you play with people who have your back. Make big choices early and often."

5. Meryl Streep: Barnard College, 2010

"This is your time and it feels normal to you but really there is no normal. There's only change, and resistance to it and then more change."

6. David Foster Wallace: Kenyon College, 2005

"Twenty years after my own graduation, I have come gradually to understand that the liberal arts cliché about teaching you how to think is actually shorthand for a much deeper, more serious idea: learning how to think really means learning how to exercise some control over how and what you think. It means being conscious and aware enough to choose what you pay attention to and to choose how you construct meaning from experience. Because if you cannot exercise this kind of choice in adult life, you will be totally hosed. Think of the old cliché about quote the mind being an excellent servant but a terrible master."

7. Barack Obama: Howard University, 2016

"You have to go through life with more than just passion for change; you need a strategy. I’ll repeat that. I want you to have passion, but you have to have a strategy. Not just awareness, but action. Not just hashtags, but votes."

8. Kerry Washington: George Washington University, 2013

"You and you alone are the only person who can live the life that can write the story that you were meant to tell."

9. Conan O'Brien: Dartmouth College, 2011

"There are few things more liberating in this life than having your worst fear realized. Today I tell you that whether you fear it or not, disappointment will come. The beauty is that through disappointment you can gain clarity, and with clarity comes conviction and true originality … Work hard, be kind, and amazing things will happen."

10. J.K. Rowling: Harvard, 2008

"I stopped pretending to be anything than what I was. My greatest fear had been realized. I had an old typewriter and a big idea. Rock bottom became the solid foundation on which I rebuilt my life."

11. Oprah Winfrey: Harvard University, 2013

"Learn from every mistake because every experience, encounter, and particularly your mistakes are there to teach you and force you into being more who you are. And then figure out what is the next right move. And the key to life is to develop an internal moral, emotional G.P.S. that can tell you which way to go."

12. Joss Whedon: Wesleyan University, 2013

"You have, which is a rare thing, that ability and the responsibility to listen to the dissent in yourself, to at least give it the floor, because it is the key—not only to consciousness–but to real growth. To accept duality is to earn identity. And identity is something that you are constantly earning. It is not just who you are. It is a process that you must be active in. It's not just parroting your parents or the thoughts of your learned teachers. It is now more than ever about understanding yourself so you can become yourself."

13. George Saunders: Syracuse University, 2013

"Do all the other things, the ambitious things … Travel, get rich, get famous, innovate, lead, fall in love, make and lose fortunes, swim naked in wild jungle rivers (after first having it tested for monkey poop)—but as you do, to the extent that you can, err in the direction of kindness."

14. Nora Ephron: Wellesley College, 1996

"Be the heroine of your life, not the victim."

15. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: Wellesley College, 2015

"As you graduate, as you deal with your excitement and your doubts today, I urge you to try and create the world you want to live in. Minister to the world in a way that can change it. Minister radically in a real, active, practical, get your hands dirty way."

16. Admiral William H. McRaven: University of Texas at Austin, 2014

"If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right."

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