The longest thread ever

[Bay Area Duke Fan]

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?

[YmoBeThere]

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.

[devil84]

Practically every Duke graduate thinks that their graduation speech was the worst of all time.

All course, all of y'all are wrong, unless you were in my graduating class. 1984, Katharine Graham.

As a member of the class of '84, I concur with gvtucker.

[Lavabe]

As a member of the class of '84, I concur with gvtucker.

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

[Channing]

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.

[ugadevil]

This year, the UGA Graduation had Clarence Thomas as the speaker. Talk amongst yourselves.

[AtlBluRew]

Practically every Duke graduate thinks that their graduation speech was the worst of all time.

All course, all of y'all are wrong, unless you were in my graduating class. 1984, Katharine Graham.

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!

[hc5duke]

I would love to have had Rick Wagoner. We had in my year (2003) Nan Keohane reading excerpts from a speech Kofi Annan was supposed to give but couldn't because he was "sick."

As a fellow '03 I concur.

[Lavabe]

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!

Yes, but at least you knew how to spell all of her names!

[pfrduke]

I would love to have had Rick Wagoner. We had in my year (2003) Nan Keohane reading excerpts from a speech Kofi Annan was supposed to give but couldn't because he was "sick."

Yeah, but we also got the honorary degree guy who did the rain dance. His speech (which was about 2 minutes and consisted largely of said rain dance) has to be one of the better ones in Duke history, judging from this thread.

[OZZIE4DUKE]

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.

[wilson]

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. [/Shameless self-congratulation]

[CathyCA]

All course, all of y'all are wrong, unless you were in my graduating class. 1984, Katharine Graham.

You, gvtucker, are smarter than I am. I couldn't remember her name.

As a member of the class of '84, I concur with gvtucker.

And devil84, I DO remember who I sat beside in Wally Wade during our graduation!

[YmoBeThere]

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!

[Lavabe]

And devil84, I DO remember who I sat beside in Wally Wade during our graduation!

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

[BCGroup]

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.

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.

[YmoBeThere]

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

Hmm, I must have been in the indifferent camp. Given the disparity of notes you have made, it would appear to me that the vocal minority is running the show and that the vocal minority changes constantly.

[YmoBeThere]

Okay, BD, are we ready to call this one done?

[Bostondevil]

With less than 100 posts to reach 2000? I think not.

Hmmm, what haven't we talked about yet?

[aimo]

I
Certainly better than Michael Bloomberg, who spoke at my brother's 2003 Wake Forest graduation.

I graduated from Wake many moons ago, and the speaker was Tom Clancy. He was fantastic. Friend of the family of some guy in my class or something.