The 10 Least Snooze-Worthy Graduation Speakers

Graduation may be an exciting milestone, but the ceremony itself is far from memorable for most people. Not only is sitting in a cap and gown for three straight hours uncomfortable (especially when it’s hot and that itchy rayon is rubbing against your neck), but the speeches are boring… and they go on forever. Oh, and leaving college is incredibly depressing.

But that whole “boring speech” thing isn’t the case for some lucky graduating classes. Yes, there are a select few schools in this country that had some pretty bomb diggity commencement speakers this year. Speakers who make me sorta wish I could sit through a three hour ceremony getting a weird tanline on my forehead from that ridiculous cap I’d be forced to wear.

Below is a list of the most bad ass commencement speakers of 2009. See, it’s not so bad being the class of ‘09!

1) Notre Dame – THE PRESIDENT!!

2) Duke – Ms. Oprah “Free KFC” Winfrey.

3) St. Rose College – Jimmy Fallon (Ok, so he’s not the best at the late night gig, but anyone who can get some laughs during a grad ceremony has my vote.)

4) University of California, Merced – Michelle Obama (Maybe she let students in on her tricep secrets?!)

5) Marshall University – Chad Pennington…who most likely gave his speech through a megaphone.

6) UCLA – James Franco

7) Bucknell – Elie Wiesel (Holocaust Survivor and Nobel Peace Prize Winner)

8 ) Barnard, NYU – Hilary Clinton (Inspirational, motivational, and all done in some monochromatic pantsuit.)

9) University of Michigan - Google Co-Founder and world changer, Larry Page (Those students owe their entire education/abilities to stalk to this genius!)

10) Florida A&M – Bill Clinton (Who probably also partied it up with the students post-ceremony.)

I’m not exactly looking forward to that May day in 2011 when I’ll be sweating myself into oblivion under the hot Durham sun and saying hello to the big, bad real world. But, hey, if any of the guests above (or, um, Josh Holloway from Lost) make it to my graduation, I probably won’t be complaining!