--- description: Read some of the of advice from 2018 commencement speakers, including Oprah Winfrey, Chance the Rapper, Jeff Flake and Hillary Clinton. title: Here Is the Best Advice From 2018 Commencement Speakers image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt28bb4bf80e3e07de/698931750a4a227d9c9d2d0c/2018-commencement-speakers-quotes-advice.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Commencement](/tag/commencement/) ## Commencement Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Here Are 10 of the Best Pieces of Advice From 2018 Commencement Speakers  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 24, 2018 7:14 PM CUT  Oprah Winfrey addresses the USC Annenberg School For Communication and Journalism graduates at te Shrine Auditorium on May 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Oprah Winfrey addresses the USC Annenberg School For Communication and Journalism graduates at te Shrine Auditorium on May 11, 2018 in Los Angeles, California.Leon Bennett/Getty Images  by [Katie Reilly](/author/katie-reilly/)  ## Katie Reilly Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close May 24, 2018 7:14 PM CUT Politicians, writers, athletes, celebrities and CEOs have all delivered words of wisdom to 2018 graduates in [commencement speeches](http://time.com/4327774/history-commencement-speech/ "undefined") during the past few weeks. Here are a few of their most notable pieces of advice: ## ‘Trust that inner voice’ Journalist [Ronan Farrow](http://time.com/5266989/ronan-farrow-loyola-marymount-graduation-speech/ "undefined") at Loyola Marymount University on May 5: --- > “” --- Watch his full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smGo9IuCHwc "undefined"). ## ‘Recycle. Make your bed. Aim high. Say thank you’ [Oprah Winfrey](http://time.com/5274733/oprah-winfrey-speech-usc/ "undefined") at the USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism on May 11: --- > “” --- Watch her full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ok%5FKYFWuKs "undefined"). ## ‘Living up to your heroes is amazing, but it’s not good enough’ [Chance the Rapper](http://time.com/collection/2017-time-100/4742682/chance-the-rapper/ "undefined") at Dillard University on May 12: --- > “” --- Watch his full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=15mbeCAF5to "undefined"). ## ‘Fearlessness means taking the first step’ [Apple CEO Tim Cook](http://time.com/5275610/apple-tim-cook-duke-commencement/ "undefined") at Duke University on May 13: --- > “” --- Watch his full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jr4LC1q1N%5Fg "undefined"). ## ‘Make failure your fuel’ Soccer star [Abby Wambach](http://time.com/5281711/abby-wambach-barnard-commencement-2018-speech/ "undefined") at Barnard College on May 16: --- > “” --- Watch her full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJe40l2waxs "undefined"). ## ‘Now is the time for you to lead’ Canadian Prime Minister [Justin Trudeau](http://time.com/5280153/justin-trudeau-nyu-commencement-2018-transcript/ "undefined") at New York University on May 16: --- > “” --- Watch his full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vs6jok1vplA "undefined"). ## ‘Being a person with integrity is the most valuable asset you have’ Former Secretary of State [Rex Tillerson](http://time.com/5279903/rex-tillerson-speech-vmi-commencement-address/ "undefined") at Virginia Military Institute on May 16: --- > “” --- Watch his full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GRtsnJhHEfk "undefined"). ## ‘Get back up and keep going’ [Hillary Clinton](http://time.com/5284908/hillary-clinton-yale-class-day-speech/ "undefined") at Yale University on May 20: --- > “” --- Watch her full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJFAByAtC4U "undefined"). ## ‘Challenge all of your assumptions regularly’ Arizona Sen. [Jeff Flake](http://time.com/5289380/jeff-flake-harvard-commencement-address-president-trump/ "undefined") at Harvard Law School on May 23: --- > “” --- Watch his full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yWQg-VG9Euw "undefined"). ## ‘Above all else, do not lie’ Writer [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](http://time.com/collection-post/3823296/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-2015-time-100/ "undefined") at Harvard University on May 23: --- > “” --- Watch her full speech [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?time%5Fcontinue=1&v=hrAAEMFAG9E "undefined"). ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5289014/2018-commencement-address-speakers-advice/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5289014/2018-commencement-address-speakers-advice/"},"headline":"Here Are 10 of the Best Pieces of Advice From 2018 Commencement Speakers","datePublished":"2018-05-24T19:14:10.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-23T20:22:11.594Z","description":"Speakers from Oprah Winfrey to Jeff Flake have offered wisdom to new graduates","url":"https://time.com/5289014/2018-commencement-address-speakers-advice/","keywords":["Commencement","Education","College","onetime"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt28bb4bf80e3e07de/698931750a4a227d9c9d2d0c/2018-commencement-speakers-quotes-advice.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Katie Reilly","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/katie-reilly/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt28bb4bf80e3e07de/698931750a4a227d9c9d2d0c/2018-commencement-speakers-quotes-advice.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"The USC Annenberg School For Communication And Journalism Celebrates Commencement With Keynote Address From Oprah Winfrey","caption":"The USC Annenberg School For Communication And Journalism Celebrates Commencement With Keynote Address From Oprah Winfrey","creditText":"Leon Bennett/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/commencement/","name":"Commencement"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/5289014/2018-commencement-address-speakers-advice/","name":"Here Are 10 of the Best Pieces of Advice From 2018 Commencement Speakers"}}]}] ```