5 Design School Commencement Addresses to Watch

With the 4.5 hour “Dear Class of 2020” project yesterday, graduation season has largely come to a close. But just because schools had to go virtual and improvise this year, that doesn’t mean they were short on brilliant speakers and powerful messages.

Here are five design school commencements and celebrations we appreciated—and some others thrown in for posterity.

Savannah College of Art & Design, featuring Alicia Keys and Rachel Brosnahan

University of the Arts, featuring Njideka Akunyili Crosby

School of Visual Arts, featuring John Waters

Rhode Island School of Design, featuring Roz Chast, Shepard Fairey, Jenny Holzer, Grace Lin, Oge Mora, Wael Morcos, Gus Van Sant and more

The New School, featuring Mindy Fullilove, Jillian Hervey, Donna Karan, Shaun King, Bill Ritter and Nancy Roach

Michelle Obama

Barack Obama

Malala Yousafzai

Teen Vogue’s Class of 2020 Commencement, featuring Tracee Ellis Ross, Stacey Abrams, Anna Wintour and more

Georgetown, featuring Mike Birbiglia

#RISD #sva #TheNewSchool #SCAD #UniversityoftheArts