BY HANK REICHMAN Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos delivered a commencement speech at the University of Baltimore yesterday, sparking protests from students, faculty, and members of the community. According to the Baltimore Sun, “Several dozen graduates slowly rose in protest as she spoke. First, two women in the front row — including one whose graduation…
Sheryl Sandberg’s commencement address at UC Berkeley has attracted considerable media attention because it includes some extended personal reflections on the sudden loss of her husband. Although there is very clearly a tabloid aspect to the media interest in Sandberg’s remarks, the personal elements of her observations actually do give considerable depth to what…
BY BRIAN C. MITCHELL It’s graduation season. Sometime, hopefully before the end of the previous fall semester, those colleges and universities seeking a commencement speaker locked in the deal. It’s interesting to look at the wide variation in approaches to commencement spread across America’s colleges and universities. Some colleges have done away with a commencement…
To President Frederick, the Board of Trustees, faculty and staff, fellow recipients of honorary degrees, thank you for the honor of spending this day with you. And congratulations to the Class of 2016! (Applause.) Four years ago, back when you were just freshmen, I understand many of you came by my house the night…
Mrs. Obama’s commencement address has drawn criticism from the Far Right because she focused on the ways in which she, as First Lady, has been racially caricatured by not just her husband’s political opponents but by even the “mainstream” media. Once again, an attempt to focus much-needed attention on what should be fairly obvious and…
Last year, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan presented the following commencement address at Arizona State University. Like most previous Secretaries of Education, Duncan has neither been a teacher nor a school administrator. Worse, I believe that he is the only member of President Obama’s Cabinet who does not have a graduate degree. So, it should…
We are entering another season of commencement addresses. Given the unrest in many African-American communities over this past year, as well as the financial challenges being face by many HBCUs, Michelle Obama’s 2014 commencement address at Dillard University seems as timely now as it did then—perhaps all the more so. _________________________ UNO Lakefront Arena New…
President Obama delivered the following remarks at the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., commencement ceremony on May 28, 2014. Transcript courtesy of Federal News Service. PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you, General Caslen, for that introduction. General Trainor, General Clarke, faculty and staff at West…
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Well, thank you so much. Everybody, please be seated. Thank you, Dr. Gee, for the wonderful introduction. I suspect the good President may have edited out some other words that were used to describe me. (Laughter.) I appreciate that. But I’m going to let Michelle know of all the good comments. To the Board…