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Big-Name Commencement Speakers for Graduation Season 2009

by Robyn Tellefsen
I have no idea what was said at my high school or college graduation. I don't even remember who gave the keynote address. But I'm betting that if my school had featured a celebrity speaker, I'd have been a bit more motivated to listen. Here, a roundup of this year's biggest names in college commencement speechland:

Barack ObamaPresident Barack Obama
In his inaugural year, the commander-in-chief will grace the platform at three college commencements: Arizona State University, U.S. Naval Academy, and the now infamous University of Notre Dame.


joe bidenVice President Joe Biden

Not to be outdone, the VP will also go three rounds on the college commencement circuit: Syracuse University, Wake Forest University, and the Air Force Academy.




hilary clintonSecretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton

She didn't secure the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination, but the former New York senator was selected to speak at two NYC commencements in 2009: New York University and Barnard College.




colin powellGeneral Colin Powell
He made a splash when he formally endorsed Obama for president in 2008; now he's getting the thumbs up from Franklin & Marshall College.




tom brokawFormer news anchor Tom Brokaw
Though he retired in 2004, the broadcast veteran currently serves as an NBC News special correspondent for breaking news events. Now he's bringing his expertise to soon-to-be grads at Fordham University.






ben steinPolitical commentator Ben Stein
It seems that Stein was chosen to speak at Liberty University for his anti-evolution stance (the very same reason he was rejected as a speaker at the University of Vermont, incidentally), but the evangelical Christian school has no problem with the fact that Stein professes to be a Jew. Interesting.





anna quindlenJournalist Anna Quindlen
If you've never read a Quindlen novel or her "Last Word" column on the back page of Newsweek, you're missing out. This year, she'll be inspiring students at her alma mater, Wesleyan University.






geena davisActress Geena Davis
As long as she doesn't become "Speechless" or drive over a cliff at the Bates College commencement, we'll consider the event a success.







james francoActor James Franco
Have you seen the Facebook petitions and articles by students attempting to get Green Goblin II ousted from the podium at UCLA? My Spidey Sense tells me it's just not that serious.







ashley juddActress Ashley Judd

The Kentucky native and humanitarian was selected to deliver this year's commencement address at Union College in Barbourville.







oprah winfreyMedia mogul Oprah Winfrey

Where would America be without Oprah telling us what to read/eat/believe? Duke University students can breathe a sigh of relief ... they won't have to answer that question just yet.







buzz aldrinAstronaut Buzz Aldrin

The man on the moon will inspire this year's High Point University grads to even greater, um, heights.







chad penningtonQuarterback Chad Pennington

The New York Jets' loss is the Miami Dolphins' gain. Marshall University is capitalizing on Chad Pennington's superstar status at their commencement exercises this year.






stephen colbert
Satirist Stephen Colbert

Not sure how much the South Carolina native knows about medicine, but he'll be delivering this year's commencement address to students at Medical University of South Carolina. At least we know he'll be funny.  





Arnold SchwarzeneggerGovernor Arnold Schwarzenegger

The Governator will be speechifying this year at the University of Southern California. He's even soliciting speech ideas on Twitter.

If you catch any of these celeb speeches, let us know!








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