Fred Rogers has entertained multiple generations of children. He’s known for a simple way of speaking and delivering wisdom to young people so it certainly makes sense that he would be an invited to speak to a graduating class where he could speak simply and deliver wisdom to young people.
Hear Mr. Rogers deliver the 2001 commencement address at Marquette University where he talked of people in his neighborhood, the slender threads of life and the power of compassion…
Ken Burns delivered the keynote address to the 2024 undergraduate class at Brandeis University in Massachusetts recently. The filmmaker and documentarian spoke eloquently on unchanging human nature, rhyming history and fundamental optimism. Listen to his speech and understand why we are lucky to have this person creating content for PBS…
Rita Moreno is an EGOT winner whose career has spanned eight decades. She’s known to many for her breakout role in West Side Story but she’s had dozens of roles on stage, television and film. For a generation of PBS Kids, Moreno was the “Hey, you guys!” shouter on The Electric Company. When the Hollywood legend delivered the 2016 commencement address at Boston’s Berklee College of Music, she quoted operatic great Maria Callas and let fly a rap that shows she’s still very much got it…
David Brooks has been a political analyst for PBS NEWSHOUR for two decades. He’s also worked for The New York Times, The Washington Times, The Atlantic Monthly and NPR, among others. In 2015, Brooks took the stump (see for yourself) to offer advice to the graduating class of Dartmouth College. His address was humorous and sincere, giving thoughts to love, virtue, character and wisdom. The audio is a little low [side note: not really – PC I was watching it on had low audio] and the bloke behind him checking his watch should realize he’s on camera but nonetheless it’s a good speech from a personality with PBS ties…
Charlayne Hunter-Gault is a civil rights activist and journalist, known to many PBS viewers as a correspondent for the PBS NEWSHOUR (in its various incarnations). She was one of the first African-American students to enroll in the University of Georgia in 1961 and there she studied journalism. In her decades-long career, Hunter-Gault worked for the New York Times and NPR, as well as PBS, and received two Emmys and a Peabody for her reporting. In 2016, Charlayne Hunter-Gault delivered the commencement speech at the University of Richmond in Virginia. Enjoy this address from a celebrated, talented and learned member of the extended PBS family…
As we enter the graduation season, I like to take time to look up commencement speeches given by those with PBS ties. This year, I’ll start with the celebrated author and historian David McCullough. His ties to public broadcasting include hosting AMERICAN EXPERIENCE and narrating multiple Ken Burns films. McCullough passed away last summer but back in 2008 he delivered the commencement address at Boston College. It’s a good speech about learning and knowledge and, despite a few too many cutaways of an antsy and possible hungover student body, the words still ring true.
It’s hard to believe that it’s been over five years since we lost Gwen Ifill. The award-winning newscaster was the host of WASHINGTON WEEK IN REVIEW and co-anchor of PBS NEWSHOUR. She had a host of impressive career highlights and accolades and, when she died in 2016 from breast and endometrial cancer, the world lost a celebrated journalist – a journalist’s journalist.
Back in 2013, Ifill delivered the commencement address at Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. She spoke with humor and hope, energy and eloquence. And began with a fundamental reminder about the hazards of social media…
Bill Moyers is a public broadcasting veteran who’s presented dozens of series and specials for PBS over the decades. He has a long a distinguished career, including a stint as White House Press Secretary during the Johnson administration. Back in 2016, Moyers spoke at the Rutgers University convocation and, during his address, the legendary journalist pondered the nature of change and considered his part in history.
The commencement commences this week with a speech by Christiane Amanpour. Back in 2017, the celebrated anchor and host of our late-night public affairs and interview program AMANPOUR & COMPANY delivered the commencement at Boston’s Northeastern University. As you might expect from a journalist, she spoke of the nature of truth in a digital age.
As graduation season moves about us, I like to take some time to present commencement addresses by some PBS personalities. This week, celebrated filmmaker Ken Burns speaks during the 266th Commencement at the University of Pennsylvania. The award-winning documentarian spoke eloquently of the school’s founder, Benjamin Franklin, and the lessons he might impart to today’s citizens of the United States and the world.
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