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Two particularly relevant people were tasked to deliver commencement speeches to a

batch of graduating students. Namely, Apple co-founder, Steve Jobs, and talk show host, Ellen

DeGeneres. A quick background check of who these two persons are and why are they

considered relevant. The Apple devices that we are currently using today are thanks to the

brilliant mind of Jobs. The Macintosh personal computer is Jobs’ most notable invention that

revolutionized the way we use technology. Prominent talk show host, Ellen DeGeneres, is well

known for her wit and humor as well as being a gay/lesbian role model.

Ellen DeGeneres’ delivered a commencement speech at Tulane University. Speaking with a

podium and within a closed venue, her audience was the graduating ‘Katrina Class’. Her speech

was, as expected, humorous, managing to make the crowd burst in laughter and giggles. She

delivered it conversationally, as opposed to Jobs’ formality which I would get on to later, and

that tone made her speech easily understood and eased up the atmosphere in the place. She

occasionally cracked multiple jokes, one instance would be during the first parts of her speech

where she played with the word ‘commencement’, she broke up the word into two, being

‘common’ and ‘cement’. That was enough to make the crowd crack up again. After a barrage of

funny lines, she then went on to share her personal life. The ambience went from lively and

happy to being serious. She, despite being a huge celebrity today, also had her share of tough

moments and failures. Before rising up to the entertainment business, she underwent many

challenges in life that made her the fun and exuberant celebrity that she is today. One of the most

life changing moment she had was during her lowest point in life, that is where she discovered

her talent and carved a new path in her life. Her life story taught many lessons and gave new

perspectives, one of which is being true to yourself. She ended her speech in the most fabulous
way possible, she danced off the stage and made rounds into the crowd. What an awesome egress

that was.

Steve Jobs’ delivered his commencement speech at Stanford University. The same with Ellen, he

also used a podium. While Ellen seems to be having a memorized speech, Jobs’ is seen

delivering a manuscript speech. His delivery was made no-nonsense formal. The event was held

in a public venue with the audience obviously being graduating students. It would be an honor to

hear one of the people who revolutionized technology give a speech, as much as he was honored

to deliver a speech in their commencement. Jobs’ speech was all about three stories about his

important experiences in life. He, like Ellen, did not also pursue college. It gives the idea that

success is different, inconsistent and varies from one person. Steve also experienced multiple

challenges, but those hardships made him into the person that he was in his later life, successful

and full of brilliance. In his conclusion, he gives them a phrase he got from one of his most

favorite book. It goes, “Stay Hungry, Stay foolish”. And that is how his speech ended.

Both speakers succeeded at being an inspiration and motivation to the students. In their speech,

we have took a peek in their lives, learning their failures which became stepping stones in

achieving their ultimate dreams, what is left of us to do is to be guided with their imparted

knowledge and live our own stories.