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Read and get inspired by these hard to find graduation speeches. We collect commencement addresses from very small colleges and high schools, as well as from top universities. What these speeches have in common is timeless advice and wonderful lessons learned. See the list of graduation speeches »

Have a healthy dose of great inspirational quotes from commencement addresses:

▫ Fareed Zakaria, Journalist and Author
▫ Jeff Bezos, founder and CEO of Amazon.com
▫ Tony Snow, former White House Press Secretary
▫ Sue Monk Kidd, author
▫ Michael Dell, businessman
▫ David Brooks, journalist
▫ Meryl Streep, actress
▫ Anne Lamott, author

View our list of top ten commencement speeches as featured in the USA TODAY's article by Mary Beth Marklein. Share them with your family, friends, and please send us your favorites. Go to the top 10 commencement speeches list »

"I was nervous when I started that job—just as many of you are nervous about the careers you're about to begin. Then I read something that Peggy Noonan once said. Peggy Noonan, who wrote speeches for President Reagan, said she had a three-stage reaction to working in the White House.
Stage One: I hope nobody figures out how stupid I am.
Stage Two, after few months in the White House: Hey, I'm as smart as everyone else.
Then a few months later came Stage Three: Oh my God, we're in charge?
That three-stage reaction has been the same no matter where I've worked. It may be the defining recurrence of my adult life. And trust me: I guarantee you'll have a similar reaction no matter where you choose to ply your trade.
And so, Ringling class of 2004, on this happy day, I've got some news for you: Oh my God, you're in charge."

Daniel H. Pink at Ringling School of Art and Design
May 2004

Author of several novels and works of non fiction, Anne Lamott gave a brilliant speech at University of California at Berkley in May 2003.

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▫ Meredith Vieira, journalist and TV show host
▫ Jonathan Youshaei, highschool graduate speaker
▫ Ellen DeGeneres, comedian
▫ Carl Sagan, astronomer
▫ Randy Pausch, professor and author
▫ Marissa Mayers, VP at Google Inc.