Why have a speaker who represents a 20th century American company that is having trouble competing in the 21st century in a global economy? How inspiring is that for graduates?
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Why have a speaker who represents a 20th century American company that is having trouble competing in the 21st century in a global economy? How inspiring is that for graduates?
I agree with BD, can't watch Chris Paul play. I was standing next to him at a community event in Winston-Salem, North Carolina in 2006. It kept going through my head...cheap shot artist.
Sorry, but I graduated in 1983 ... with a speech by Mary Duke Biddle Trent Seamans. At least I knew what Katherine Graham did. MDBTS scores lower than Graham.
The most poignant graduation speech I saw was 2002 when Emory had a year when each honorary recipient spoke. They had two men from Atlanta (Lawrence Colburn and Hugh Thompson) get up and briefly speak from their hearts about the My Lai Massacre. Nothing but tears. Wow...
Cheers,
Lavabe
I heard the CEO of Bear Stearns gave the speech for Fuqua . . . is that true? There are so many possible jokes there I don't know where to start.
This year, the UGA Graduation had Clarence Thomas as the speaker. Talk amongst yourselves.
Vance, 1984 was an improvement over my year, 1983! We had Mary
Duke Biddle Trent Semans, whose accomplishment was being born very rich and staying that way.
Added moments adter initial post: LOL, I responded to gvtucker before seeing that Lavabe had beaten me to the punch. Sorry, classmate!
I went to the Winthrop College (Rock Hill, SC) graduation last Saturday (to watch my niece graduate!). They didn't have a guest commencement speaker. Wasn't on the schedule, no one was sick. The school president gave a few remarks, totaling less than 5 minutes - four at the beginning and one at the end. It was wonderful and no one missed what wasn't said!
Winthrop should be an example to all schools.
I graduated in the Madeleine Albright year ('04), and I really liked what she had to say, as did all of my family members.
Certainly better than Michael Bloomberg, who spoke at my brother's 2003 Wake Forest graduation. Summary: "I'm so great. Now, let me tell you why..."
[Shameless self-congratulation] My favorite graduation speaker was the guy who delivered the address at my high school graduation: me.:D [/Shameless self-congratulation]
You, gvtucker, are smarter than I am. I couldn't remember her name.Quote:
All course, all of y'all are wrong, unless you were in my graduating class. 1984, Katharine Graham.
And devil84, I DO remember who I sat beside in Wally Wade during our graduation! ;)Quote:
As a member of the class of '84, I concur with gvtucker.
I know Bill Bradley spoke in '93 but don't remember a word. And H. Keith H. Brodie was sick for the darned thing.
I think I am with Ozzie on this...my attitude at both graduations I have attenede(my own that is)was give me the darn degree and let me get outta here!
Well, at least you had yours at Wally Wade. 1983 was, I guess, the last year the grauation was held on East Campus.
Ymo: After having sat through nine of the ones here in Atlanta, here are a few notes I've made:
1) The speaker whose speech was the shortest was panned for going so fast. I want to say it was George Mitchell (before the baseball investigation). It was less than ten minutes.
2) The speaker whose speech was the longest was panned for going to long. It was this year's speaker, Bernie Marcus (who reminded us about Home Depot many times). It was more than twenty minutes.
3) Whenever the speaker is a "no-name," the students will complain in the student newspaper.
4) Whenever the speaker is a "big name," the students will complain that they want someone more liberal or conservative.
5) One year, the president of the univeristy wanted to give the talk. The students complained. The president listened.
6) One year, Tom Brokaw, as suspected, was great. Oddly enough, we appeared in NBC Nightly News' end of the graduation season compendium of speeches. Go figure!;)
Cheers,
Lavabe
Hey Ozzie-I teach at Winthrop, but grad students, so I don't go to undergrad commencement. I'll have to ask around today and see if that was planned. Usually, there is a speaker (never at grad commencement, which is totally cool). I wish I had known...another Blue Devil in the territory here is always a plus.
Okay, BD, are we ready to call this one done?
With less than 100 posts to reach 2000? I think not.
Hmmm, what haven't we talked about yet?
I'm too lazy to google this, so I'll ask all you learned DBRers. How often do we humans shed our skin, I mean completely replace it? I'm guessing every 90 days, but only because I once heard we grow new legs every 90 days.
I'm not giving Duke a dime until I get a good explanation of why he wasn't there. Having a fever or whatever they said doesn't cut it.
His speech was awful, full of 1992 election Democratic talking points (six months AFTER the election ended) and containing nothing about basketball, which would have been interesting. He spent most of the speech talking about how bad the economy was, which of course was rubbing salt in the wound because we were all looking for jobs.
Brokaw '90 and George Will '91 were much better. Wasn't around for Margaret Wright Edelman '92 but I doubt it was noteworthy either way.
We had Gary Trudeau in '88, which was pretty entertaining. The main thing I remember is his central point: Always ask the impertinent question.
Who spoke this year?
Mine (1993) was Bill Bradley. A good speaker I guess, but total "pie in the sky" leftist political horse-poo. Naturally, I am biased - but I wouldn't even mind a leftist speech, and would expect no less from Duke. But this was way out there...
In 2001, Charlayne Hunter-Gault delivered our commencement address. I can't say that I recall any positive comments from any of my classmates. Overall, if I recall correctly, the speech wasn't particularly bad, but it was a bit lengthy and not particularly the "off into the world" inspirational message that one would expect.
Anyone know if these speeches can be re-viewed somewhere? YouTube? I'd like to see some of the earlier reference Bush / Wagoner speeches for a comparison...
I dunno, that 84 speech was an unbelievably bad one for the ages... I can't believe I'm still so peeved after all this time...
Went back in 85 to hang with what was left of my posse; the speaker was some lady who was president of U of Chicago (Northwestern? one of those...) and she was GREAT. Wish I could remember her name; she had everyone going... BTW, that one was on East Campus too...
To me, they need to have a "get over yourself" theme... I believe MIT had "Click and Clack", the NPR Car Talk guys one year... That's the way to go... Have fun, lighten up a little...
I wasn't there and didn't hear it, but here's a link to the whole thing... 2008 Commencement Address by Barbara Kingsolver.
I believe you went back to hang with friends but it wasn't for the '85 graduation. We were in Wally Wade and the speaker was Theodore Hesburgh (spelling?), president of Notre Dame. I thought Katherine Graham was president of the University of Chicago but I wouldn't trust my memory on that one.
I enjoyed my graduation speech more than I thought I would so, ringing praise, although I think I was the only one. He said something like, I don't really have any advice to give you that you would actually listen to so let me tell you what the civil rights movement was like for me. A history lesson instead of advice? Works for me.
BD - Class of '85
Well scratch my back with a hacksaw... I hate when that happens...
Kay Graham was running the Washington Post at the time... That I DO know for a fact, and I was clean and sober and awake for that whole mumbling pile of drivel (unfortunately)!!
So I heard Hannah Gray give a great speech on East Campus... maybe it was Homecoming Weekend 1962... yeah, that's the ticket... arrgh... "Violins on television? oh never mind..."
Res ipsa loquitor,
Turk
In '02 we got to listen to Tom Wolfe mumble incoherently about hooking up for what seemed like forever under the sun. I was pissed when I heard the next year was going to get Kofi Anan, although since he didn't show I guess I'm no longer bitter.
Vandy has a tradition of having the current chancellor speak, which turns out be equally as boring as many of these sound but with a much lower speaker's fee.
Rick Wagoner > Stu Scott on any day
Can anyone tell me who the speaker was in '82? I remember graduation was on East, the MBAs waved money when their degrees were conferred, the nurses had balloons, and someone popped the cork on their champagne during the invocation. (Our group waited until our degrees had been conferred - then let the popping commence.) I remember someone in native dress of an African country, I believe, waving something that looked like dried grass.
(Apparently in EarlJam's poll - I must feel a lot older than my age - the memory is failing. Of course, I don't think I could have said who it was a month after graduation either. :D )
My brother graduated Class of '82. Are we sure Hannah Gray didn't speak at that one? It was definitely on East Campus. The student speaker gave a speech entitled 'No More Lies'.