Across this year’s commencement season, the selection of speakers has become its own reflection of how institutions are trying and often struggling to speak to a graduating class entering a period of economic and cultural uncertainty. At one end of the spectrum are celebrity and cultural figures who have leaned into humor, vulnerability, and personal storytelling. At Harvard University, comedian Conan O’Brien delivered a commencement address rooted in self-deprecation and reflection on career longevity. At Northeastern University, Hilary Duff brought a similarly nostalgic tone, speaking to reinvention and early-career uncertainty in a way that resonated with younger audiences. Other widely circulated addresses this season came from figures like Henry Winkler at Emerson University, whose relatively brief remarks emphasized warmth, persistence and emotional honesty — qualities that have increasingly defined the speeches that gain traction beyond the ceremony itself. “Live by two words: tenacity and gratitude. Tenacity will get you where you want to go, and gratitude will make you enjoy the journey, no matter how bumpy.” — Henry Winkler, Emerson Univeristy, May 2026 These addresses …