Are you planning a graduation ceremony for your college?

Do you need hire someone who can inspire and educate young students?

Here is a list of the best commencement speakers to consider for your event that can deliver a memorable speech for your ceremony that will inspire, educate, and entertain your audience.

These powerful graduation speakers will inspire your graduates to dream big, never give up, persevere through hard times, stay true to themselves, and achieve their goals.

If you would like to hire any of these speakers or need more suggestions, fill out this form and our agent will respond within two business hours.

Please note, we work with over 5000 experts and thought leaders who may not be listed on our site.

Ellen DeGeneres

Ellen DeGeneres is one of the most popular television personalities in the world. A TV host and a stand-up comedian, DeGeneres hosts her popular talk show, The Ellen DeGeneres Show.

Counted among the most influential women on TV, DeGeneres has become a role model for women of all ages.

She is a strong advocate for gender equality and the LGBTQ community. DeGeneres has received many awards for her contributions to television.

As a celebrity commencement speaker, Ellen uses a blend of humor and warmth to inspire students to become the best version of themselves.

Dr. Cornel West

As an author and an intellectual, Dr. Cornel West teaches public philosophy at Harvard University. In addition, he is the Professor Emeritus at Princeton.

Dr. West has an extensive academic background in public philosophy, having taught at notable institutions such as Harvard, Yale, and the University of Paris.

As a commencement keynote speaker, he has a passion of communicating his message of truth, justice, and love to diverse audiences.

Anant Agarwal

Anant Agarwal is a tech genius. Recipient of MIT’s distinguished Smullin and Jamieson awards, he teaches at the university’s computer science and electrical engineering department.

Agarwal served for a time as the Director of the Computer Science and AI Laboratory at MIT. He currently manages MIT and Harvard’s joint online learning program, edX, as its CEO.

Agarwal has also founded various tech companies including Tilera Corporation.

As a keynote speaker for a graduation, Anant likes to share his story of overcoming adversity to follow his dreams and passion in life.

Oprah Winfrey

Billionaire philanthropist and media tycoon, Oprah Winfrey requires little introduction. Host of her extremely popular talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, she has changed many lives.

Oprah uses her platforms to bring social issues to light and start difficult conversations that many would rather avoid.

She is also an avid promoter of literature, a lot of which she does through her talk show, Oprah’s Book Club.

As a graduation public speaker, she is passionate about inspiring students to follow their dreams and make a positive impact on the world.

Al Pacino

A Hollywood legend and a pop culture icon, Al Pacino has starred in many award-winning roles. His most acclaimed performances are in the movies Godfather and Scarface.

Al Pacino has one Academy Award, four Golden Globes, and more than forty nominations for various awards.

Apart from the silver screen, Al Pacino has had a very illustrious stage career. His performance in the production Does a Tiger Wear a Necktie? was very well received.

Nick Vujicic

Nick Vujicic is a motivational speaker and an inspiration for millions. Born in Australia in 1982, Vujicic was born without any of his limbs.

He struggled with depression during his early years. However, Vujicic overcame his insecurities and did not allow this limitation to bind him.

Vujicic credits this transformation to his unwavering belief in God and a greater plan. Now, he travels the globe and shares his inspirations with millions of men and women.

As a graduation guest speaker, Nick uses his warmth and inspiring story to remind students that no matter what adversity they face, they can overcome it.

Molly Fletcher

A sports agent for the greats, Molly Fletcher is the first female sports agent in history. She has represented renowned sportsperson such as Tom Izzo and John Smoltz.

Due to her passions and her ironclad resolve for her clients, she has often been compared to Jerry Maguire.

Fletcher also consults and tutors on self-improvement practices and performance enhancement.

Jillian Michaels

Jillian Michaels is a fitness expert, wellness coach and was a mentor on the NBC’s long-running fitness competition reality show, The Biggest Loser.

She has also authored several bestselling books including Winning By Losing and The 6 Keys: Unlock Your Genetic Potential for Ageless Strength, Health, and Beauty.

One of the world’s leading experts on fitness and nutrition, Michaels’ wellness company Empowered Media has assisted thousands of people around the world in losing more than 1.5 million lbs. in weight.

Her published work explores innate motivations for becoming healthy where she is passionate about teaching people the importance of wellness.

As a commencement event speaker, she has a powerful stage presence that will motivate your audience to dig deep and never give up on their goals in life.

Marcus Lemonis

Marcus Lemonis is an entrepreneur, a business expert, and a celebrity consultant. His advice on CNBC’s business reality show, The Profit, has helped many aspiring entrepreneurs.

Lemonis has consulted several small and failing businesses and assisted them in turning around better profits.

His proven track record of pulling businesses back from the brink of failure has earned him the title of ‘the business turnaround king.’

Kylie Jenner

Star of the hit reality TV show, Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Kylie Jenner came to public attention through the show. She was soon offered various modeling roles.

At a very early age, Jenner has built herself quite a fashion empire. Her line of makeup and fashion accessories receive tremendous hype from her fans.

Jenner has also modeled for fashion brands like Avril Lavigne’s collection, Forever 21, and Sears.

Bobby Flay

Bobby Flay is a celebrity chef and an expert on nutrition and diet. His work has been credited for revitalizing the image of healthy food and changing the way people think of a healthy diet.

Flay owns several restaurants around the country and is known for his blend of American southwestern cuisine. His work has made it fashionable for men to work in the kitchen.

He is also the first chef to be honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

John Maxwell

John Maxwell is a leadership and development coach. During his 4 decades of tutoring and consultancy, he has helped millions of people become better leaders and individual contributors.

Maxwell is recognized by many authorities as one of the world’s leading experts in leadership. He has founded and manages numerous leadership and consultancy firms.

His firms have worked with Fortune 500 companies and his expertise is frequently requested by leading organizations.

Gwen Stefani

Three-time Grammy-winning singer-songwriter, Gwen Stefani serves as a judge and mentor on the popular singing competition The Voice on NBC.

In addition to being an exceptional musician, Stefani is also a successful fashion designer. She focuses her attention on growing L.A.M.B., a fashion line that she created in 2004.

Stefani is also regularly involved in welfare initiatives such as The Ultraviolet Edge which empowers women.

Sean Parker

Sean Parker is an entrepreneur, a visionary, and a philanthropist. His business endeavors have a history of becoming the blueprint of a whole new product or service type.

At the young age of 19, Parker founded the P2P sharing platform that later became a music streaming service called Napster.

He is also famous for assisting Mark Zuckerberg in launching the social media giant Facebook and serving as its founding president.

Denzel Washington

Hollywood icon Denzel Washington is an actor, producer, and director. Three-time Golden Globe winner, Washington has received several other awards for his performances.

Washington has received much acclaim for his powerful portrayals of real-life individuals such as Malcolm X and the drug lord Frank Lucas. He was also awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2016 Golden Globes.

Derek Jeter

Popular shortstop for the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter boasts five World Series Championship wins. Jeter played for the Yankees in the MLB for 20 seasons.

During his career, Jeter his received several recognitions, among which are 14 All Stars. He was also the MVP at the World Series in 2000.

Jeter is considered to be one of the most popular players of his time. He has also been inducted in the Baseball Hall of Fame.

Brendon Burchard

Brendon Burchard is an inspirational speaker and a marketing trainer. According to Facebook Insights, he is among the top hundred most followed individuals.

A life-threatening car accident at the age of 19, which he survived, forced Burchard to rethink his priorities. This led to him achieving countless personal and professional breakthroughs.

He now aims to help others find their motivations just as he did.

Barbara Walters

One of the most popular female broadcast journalists and news show hosts in the history of television, Barbara Walters is a news icon.

She hosted The View and the Evening News on ABC for many years. She was also a part of NBC’s The Today Show, which she anchored along with Jim Hartz and Frank McGee.

Walters was nominated countless times for the Daytime Emmy Awards.

Amy Adams

Amy Adams is an actress and a singer. She has received several nominations for her roles and is a two-time winner of the Golden Globe award.

Adams has starred in many box office hits alongside acting icons such as Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks.

Finding fame through her portrayal of a Disney princess in Enchanted, Adams has since been on the fast track to stardom.

Need help booking a speaker?

If you are interested in booking any of the speakers on this page or want some more suggestions, use the form below to contact an agent.

We have access to over 5000 experts and thought leaders, many of whom are not listed on this site.

Let one of our agents help you find the perfect speaker that fits your budget, needs, and date.

Speaker Request

Step 1 – Fill out the form below.

Step 2 – Our agent will respond within one business day.

Need more speaker ideas?

Recommended reading:

Resources