« MORE POLLS | May 13, 2009
Which prominent U.Va. alum would make the best graduation speaker?
HIGHLIGHTS
Fighting Fire at the University
In 1828, the Board of Visitors created the University Fire Company.
In the Age of Slavery
U.Va. examines role of enslaved laborers in tribute to bell-ringer Henry Martin
Look Book
A brief history of fashion at U.Va.
Scientific Six Pack
Improve your putting, earn more money, increase your odds of survival and other topics U.Va. researchers are exploring.
The Simple Things Said It All
On being in the first class of women.
Body Builder
Mike Curtis helps athletes recover from injuries and maintain peak form
A Funeral Procession for the Marquis
An alumna explores La Fayette’s connection to the University
Life Lessons on the Green
David Cook’s golf novel adapted to the big screen
Costly Cartoons?
Fast-paced shows hurts executive function in children
Stacked Up
Doubling the capacity of the Ivy Stacks.
175 Years of Engineering
A few of the U.Va. engineers whose projects have touched our daily lives.
14 Reasons to Love Charlottesville in Winter
Comments
I would not vote for any of them, however famous they are. How about a person in tune with academe and the economy?
I vote for a reading of Edgar Allen Poe over any of these celebrities.
Aw, c’mon Elizabeth! Commencement is partly a pep rally to celebrate the future. After four years of hard work, graduates need something both memorable and entertaining. While it’s certainly possible to find someone who is influential in the academic world *and* in popular culture, you’re selling short the amazing experiences and insight that any of these choices could provide as a graduation speaker.
Pardon me when I say both of those ideas are super lame. 2008’s speech had me snoozing. We learned about the academe, economy and Edgar Allen Poe in class. The graduation speaker is meant to provide words of wisdom for the future, opportunity to reminisce over your years at the university, entertainment and hopefully a good chuckle, not an academic lecture. Tina Fey is perfect. She is an extremely successful person that is not only intelligent but talented and dynamic, much like the well-rounded students UVa prides itself on producing.
Katie Couric, although a U Va. alum is an abject failure as a news person and I’d like NOT to reward that in any way. A perfect example of the “Peter Principle”
Most people don’t remember who their graduation speaker was let alone what they spoke about. At least someone like Tina Fey would be memorable because she would surely be funny. Conan O’Brien was the Harvard Commencement speaker a few years ago, and his speech was quite memorable!
The idea that someone in 15 minutes will pass on pearls of wisdom to bored graduates fidgeting in the hot sun is so pretentious and absurd. Its like one last punishment the establishment gets to inflict on hapless students. The best graduation speeches are the briefest, such as was given by Rodney Dangerfield in the movie “Back to School:”
“Thank you, Dean Martin, President Sinclair… and members
of the graduating class. I have only one thing
to say to you today… it’s a jungle out there.
You gotta look out for number one. But don’t step in number two. And so, to all you graduates… as you go out into the world my advice to you is… don’t go! It’s rough out there.
Move back with your parents. Let them worry about it.” (Laughter).
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