For those of us who work in education, this is commencement season. For me—an adjunct professor and full-time executive writer—that means ghost writing, as well as supporting a number of commencement speakers, whether or not I approach the stage myself. But commencement is one of my favorite seasons to write for, and when I finally experience the ceremony and hear the way the addresses fit together like a well-planned puzzle, it is as if I have given birth to a child who will never stop giving back.

If the speeches are well-written and well-executed, that is… 

It occurred to me today while answering questions from a commencement speaker I am currently assisting that the content of a well-executed commencement speech might make for a helpful blog post. So, here goes.

First things first: Commencement speeches are not long. The sweet spot is 10 minutes. Commencement programs include a number of traditional and time-consuming elements, not to mention additional speakers: the president or principal, the chancellor or superintendent, board members, deans, and so on. Moreover, students’ names have to be called one at a time. Each student crosses the stage, and a graduating class may run into the thousands. If you are invited as the guest commencement speaker, the last thing you want is to be the person holding up the moment everyone is waiting for—the moment parents, spouses, siblings, and a host of other family and friends hear their student’s name called.

So, how do you land an effective commencement address with only 10 minutes to work with?

Trust me, it’s not as difficult as it sounds.

1. 1. Begin with gratitude:  You will want to express gratitude to the person who invited you, the lead administrator, and any supporting leaders who are present at the ceremony. Be sure to check ahead for pronunciation of names. On the day of the event, verify attendance of those you have planned to acknowledge.

2. 2. Express humility: If you’ve been invited to speak, you have a platform and a following. In the best scenario, the students are excited to have you as their commencement speaker, but let’s face it, sometimes only the administrators, faculty, and/or staff have a sense of who you are. Regardless of which is the case, it’s important to express appreciation for the opportunity to address the specific graduates before you. Make them the center of the reason you accepted the engagement. Why does speaking to this particular group of graduates at this specific stage of life mean so much to you personally? Do a bit of research. Find out what they’ve been through as a class, and then find your connection to their experiences. Lean in to that connection.

3. 3. Tell your story: Tell your story from the angle of life lesson learned rather than (or in addition to) challenge conquered. What did you learn that you wish you had known when you were younger? What do you wish someone had told you sooner?

4. 4. Share a universal truth: Detail yields universality. So, don’t be afraid of detail when sharing your story. Then, use your unique story to reveal a universal truth. Add a motivational quote that expresses this truth. This could be a quote you compose, or it could be something someone else said (famous or not). If you lift part of this quote and repeat it two or three times in the speech, maybe even have the graduates say it, that could be a great way to leave a lasting memory.

5. 5. Reflection & Call to Action: Now that you have shared your story, the lesson you learned, and a universal truth, call the graduates to a moment of reflection. Ask a question that makes them look back, then challenge them to look forward. How will they apply the universal truth to their own lives?

6. 6. Congratulations: End with a final word of congratulations. After all, the entire ceremony is about the milestone the the graduates have reached after years of hard work and determination.

Of course, this approach isn’t a foolproof formula for an effective speech. Your speech might take on a different shape—one that better suits your personality and style. I can immediately think of two other approaches that work well when your life experiences don’t align with the graduates’ experiences. For the sake of categorizing these, I’ll call the approach I outline here The Testimonial. A second approach is The Time Block approach, and a third is what I call The Specialty Focus.  If The Testimonial doesn’t work for you, and you’d like information on the others, send me a message. I’d love to chat more about this topic.

Whichever approach you take, your delivery matters. You must be engaging and dynamic. Most importantly, you must remember and reflect your understanding that commencement day is about the graduates, not the speaker. Lift them up, leave them encouraged, and call them to action. Do these three things, and the graduates are likely to share your words of wisdom with their own children or grandchildren someday.

Happy speech writing, everyone!

Kionna Walker LeMalle

Writer.Teacher.Friend.