Tassels are being turned, caps are being tossed — and, as usual, celebrities are lining up to give commencement speeches. It’s kind of a tradition for universities to invite celebrities to graduation ceremonies at this point, but the Class of 2026 is getting a lineup that feels especially fun.
This year’s cast of celeb graduation speakers are a mix of actors, authors, dancers, politicians, and late-night hosts — people you’re probably way more used to seeing on TV than in a university arena. While some schools are getting just another distant university administrator, a handful of lucky grads are going to walk away with serious bragging rights for at least the next year (until the next crop of grads get their own round of speakers to one-up them). And honestly, there’s a pretty good chance a couple of things they share will stick with people long after the caps hit the ground (never forget Taylor Swift’s 2022 NYU graduation speech, IYKYK).
Sometimes a celeb commencement speech is a full-circle moment for alumni returning to their alma maters, sometimes it’s a surprising crossover that no one saw coming. Either way, they’re all being invited to give advice to graduating students — advice that comes from each of their own successes and failures. So, whether you’re a member of the Class of 2026 or just checking out which colleges are going to have the most star-studded ceremonies this year, here’s a list of some of the celebrities giving college graduation speeches in 2026.
Hilary Duff
Lizzy McGuire herself will be speaking at Northeastern’s commencement ceremony on April 29 at Fenway Park. The university revealed Duff as this year’s speaker on Instagram with a video featuring their mascot, King Husky, getting a call from Duff as the (iconic) “What Dreams Are Made Of” plays.
Misty Copeland
Wake Forest University announced on Feb. 10 that Misty Copeland — who’s not only the first Black woman to perform as a principal at the American Ballet Theatre, but is also an author and the founder of The Misty Copeland Foundation — will give the university’s commencement address on May 18.
Conan O’Brien
Harvard University has invited one late night television, Saturday Night Live alum back to campus for commencement this year. Conan O’Brien, who graduated from Harvard University in 1985, is set to deliver the keynote address on May 28.
Debbie Allen
Clark Atlanta University is welcoming Debbie Allen, the Emmy-winning actor, director, and choreographer, to deliver its commencement address on May 18. An alumna of Howard University, Allen has strong ties to the HBCU community, using her platform to advocate for arts education and opportunities for Black students — so expect a speech that’s equal parts inspiring and unforgettable.
Eric Church
Eric Church, the country music star (and a North Carolina native), is traveling to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill to give a commencement address on May 9. “Being a Tar Heel ‘born, bred, dead’ and knowing what the school has meant to me and my family, it’s surreal,” Church said in the announcement released by the university on Oct. 1, 2025.
Sarah Jessica Parker
Northwestern is welcoming the Carrie Bradshaw to be its commencement speaker on June 14. In an Instagram announcement, Parker said, “It’s a privilege to celebrate a graduating class whose years of hard work, dedication to their studies, commitment to one another, their community and the larger world deserve real recognition.”
James Patterson
Bestselling author James Patterson is gearing up to address the University of Wisconsin-Madison on May 9 for the second time, having previously given the commencement address virtually to the Class of 2020. Patterson is known to have funded scholarships and programs in the literacy and education fields at UW-Madison alongside his wife and alumna, Susan Patterson.
Hugh Jackman
Ball State University is welcoming Hugh Jackman — known as Wolverine, P.T. Barnum, Jean Val Jean, or a number of other famous characters, depending on who you ask — to deliver the commencement address on May 2.
John Green
John Green, award-winning author best known for The Fault in Our Stars and, more recently, Everything is Tuberculosis, will “commence” the Rice University graduating class on May 9, according to a video the university released to mark a countdown to graduation day.
Henry Winkler
Henry Winkler is heading back to his old stomping grounds of Emerson College to deliver the keynote commencement speech on May 9. He’s known to most as Fonzie from Happy Days, but to Emerson College, he’s a “legendary” alumnus, according to the university’s announcement.
Colman Domingo
Temple University is also inviting an alum back for commencement — this time, it’s Colman Domingo. The Euphoria actor, Emmy winner, and two-time Oscar nominee is also a Philadelphia native and former journalism student at Temple, and will deliver the keynote speech on May 6.
Nancy Pelosi
Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, will serve as the commencement speaker at Notre Dame de Namur University on May 2. “I look forward to celebrating the Class of 2026 and the 175-year legacy of the Sisters in California—a legacy rooted in faith, justice, and opportunity for all,” Pelosi said in an announcement released by the university.