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The New York Times studied videos of addresses posted online, including those by President Trump, Kermit the Frog and a slew of celebrity speakers. Here is a look at key themes that emerged.
June 8, 2025, 5:00 a.m. ET
It has been a graduation season unlike any other. The Trump administration is investigating elite universities and cutting research funding. Pro-Palestinian activism and claims of antisemitism are shaping campus life. International students are worried about having their visas revoked.
In contrast with past generations, what a speaker says on a commencement stage now reaches an audience far larger than the crowd that day. Universities routinely post footage of ceremonies online, giving faraway relatives of graduates a chance to tune in and handing keynote speakers a global stage.
The New York Times studied videos of dozens of keynote commencement addresses that were posted online — more than 170,000 words delivered this spring at a cross section of America’s higher education institutions — in order to analyze the most pressing topics. Many speakers, including Kermit the Frog at the University of Maryland, the gymnast Simone Biles at Washington University in St. Louis and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem at Dakota State University, avoided the political fray and focused on timeless lessons.
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“Rather than jumping over someone to get what you want, consider reaching out your hand and taking the leap side by side. because life is better when we leap together.”
But plenty of others, including journalists, scientists and politicians from both parties, weighed in directly on the news of the moment. Many of them described 2025 in existential terms, warning about dire threats to free speech and democracy. Others heralded the dawn of a promising new American era. Here is a look at key themes that emerged in those speeches.
A Moment of Opportunity
Several speakers struck an upbeat tone about the world students were entering.
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Videos posted by Vanderbilt University, Liberty University and Furman University showed many commencement speakers voicing optimism about the opportunities awaiting graduates.
“Start with nothing but a passionate idea. Work hard. And in the United States of America, you can achieve great things.” “We’ve seen the Holy Spirit support, guide and strengthen men and women, men and women who have said, ‘Send me’ throughout history, throughout America’s history.” “The barriers to creation are as low as they’ve ever been, and the spark of an idea can become a reality in an instant. That means there are more possibilities before you than ever before.” “We have the hottest country in the world, and the whole world is talking about it. That’s an honor for all of us. I cannot wait to see the glory that is still ahead.”
