The 2016 commencement season has featured big names in politics, activism and show business. This year, graduates have found meaning in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s assertion that everyone’s stories are essential and have been inspired to act on Jane Goodall’s advice to live to their full human potential.
The Class of 2016 has seen Arianna Huffington advocate for sleep and Barack Obama critique the idea of building walls.
Above, watch some of the highlights from this year’s speakers. You can also read their full speeches at the links below:
Anne-Marie Slaughter: ‘Care Is as Important as Career’
Barack Obama: ‘Passion Is Vital, But You’ve Got to Have a Strategy’
Condoleezza Rice to Grads: ‘Don’t Let Anyone Else Define Your Passion’
Darren Walker to Grads: ‘Stand For Something’
Earl Lewis: ‘Never Confuse The Attainement of an Education with What It Means to Be Educated’
Eboo Patel to Wake Forest Grads: ‘The Only Shame Is in Stagnation’
Hoda Kotb: ‘You’re the Sum Total of the Five People You Spend the Most Time With’
J.K. Simmons to Grads: ‘Live in the Moment’
Jane Goodall to Grads: ‘Remember to Live to Your True Human Potential’
Jill Bolte Taylor: ‘We Have the Power to Choose Who We Want to Be’
Lin-Manuel Miranda to Grads: ‘Your Stories Are Essential’
Madeleine Albright: ‘Everyone Must Participate in Solving Shared Problems’
Michael Bloomberg: ‘An Open Mind Is the Most Valuable Asset You Can Possess’
Michelle Obama to Grads: ‘Excellence Is the Most Powerful Answer You Can Give’
Obama to Grads: Building Walls Is ‘A Betrayal of Who We Are’
Russell Wilson: ‘Go Make It Happen’
Sheryl Sandberg: ‘Finding Gratitude and Appreciation Is Key to Resilience’
More Must-Reads from TIME
- Inside Elon Musk’s War on Washington
- Meet the 2025 Women of the Year
- The Harsh Truth About Disability Inclusion
- Why Do More Young Adults Have Cancer?
- Colman Domingo Leads With Radical Love
- How to Get Better at Doing Things Alone
- Cecily Strong on Goober the Clown
- Column: The Rise of America’s Broligarchy
Contact us at letters@time.com