Highlights from this year's commencement speeches

Compiled by Mallory Rubin

In case you used your commencement as an opportunity to catch up on your sleep, here's what you missed from this year's graduation speaker circuit ...

	Had Yogi Berra's baseball career not panned out, he always had a future as a plumber. Courtesy of Saint Louis University
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"In a bacon-and-egg breakfast, the chicken is involved, but the pig is committed. Be that pig."
-- Brian Billick, Johns Hopkins University

"Wherever you go; whatever you do; be the best you can be. Be the greatest. I always said if I had been a plumber, I would have been a great plumber."
-- Yogi Berra, St. Louis University

"We both have new and different futures. I've decided what I'm going to do ... I'm going into bodybuilding and become the governor of California."
-- Bob Barker, Drury University

"I heard at least five or six different times on the way into the arena today, different members of the class and some family members expounding that this class -- the Class of 2007 at Providence College -- was the best class in the history of the college. And they were convinced of that. Now, rather than let that be an idle rumor, I'd like to actually take a vote on that. With class members only voting, if you think the Class of 2007 is the best class in Providence College history, please stand now and just remain standing for a second ... Looks to me like it's unanimous."
-- Dave Gavitt, Providence College

"There were thrills, disappointments, hard work and dedication, and I'm not talking about football. It was a story of comebacks and life lessons learned for me and I hope for you. Most of all it is about a renewal of spirit and an unquenchable strive for success." (talking about Buffalo's last second Super Bowl loss to the Giants in 1991)
-- Marv Levy, Canisius College

"If this college went out of business, would anybody miss it and why? The answer, obviously, is yes. Why? Because it's different, it's unique, and it adds value to people's lives. So as you go through life, look and see how you can add value to your family, your company, and others."
-- Lou Holtz, Benedictine College

"I never gave up; if I'd given up, I'd never be at Shea Stadium. If I'd listened to critics along the way, who knows where I'd have wound up. Keep fighting back like I did. Quitting is the easy way out. Whatever your goals in life, it is imperative that you stay focused, determined."
-- Willie Randolph, Fordham University

"You are entering a world of Al Qaeda, terrorism and war, and of mayhem and murder like at Virginia Tech. Your challenge is to apply your tools and logic to make sure civilized society advances."
-- Myles Brand, Tri-State University

"From here in Ohio to the Darfur region of Sudan, from Kansas to Kabul, there are people whose lives are diminished by disaster, disease, or disrespect. In our communities are families without homes and without hope. They are counting on us -- the very fortunate -- to use our education to take on things that matter. The energy and creativity that have been developed and nurtured in your degree programs can change lives, can make a difference."
-- Archie Griffin, Ashland University

"If you want to reach your goals, you need to have a plan of action. You have to stay focused on the things you can control, and don't get discouraged or distracted by the things you cannot control ... You have to feel that every day you're getting closer and closer to where you need to be."
-- Bernie Williams, Iona College

"Our armies of compassion need men and women like you. The great test of this generation will be how you answer the call to extend the promise of America, and make our nation a more hopeful place for all. The character of the Class of 2007 gives me great faith in your success, and confidence in the future of a nation that makes one people from out of many."
-- George W. Bush, Miami Dade College, Kendall Campus

"Why anybody would accept themselves as nerds bothers me. I think it has to do with something like you don't know how to mingle. You don't know how to get along with other people. Or dance. Or just stand in a room and look human ... You can't be proud and you can't carry it out unless you are sure of yourselves and prepared. That's where the nerds stand tall. That's why you've got that name. That's what it means. I looked it up. 'Nerd: a prepared person who doesn't give a damn about the dance.'"
-- Bill Cosby, Carnegie Mellon University

"I stand here as a symbol of what is possible when you believe in the dream of your own life. Don't be afraid. All you need to do is know who you are."
-- Oprah Winfrey, Howard University

"We love to plan things. In our culture, it's all plans. It's all written down - our daily calendars, our monthly planners. We put all this stuff in our laptops and our Smartphones and our BlackBerries. We plan everything. We waste so much time making plans, and the plans don't work because life has other plans.

"John Lennon said, 'Life is what happens while you're making all of those plans.' Think about today and tomorrow and next week, maybe. Have a goal. Don't confuse planning with dreaming. Dreaming is a worthy pastime. Planning is a waste."
-- John Grisham, University of Virginia

"Your day will come. My generation will fade away, and yours will take the stage - and you will be spectacular. How do I know this? Because you are the children of baby boomers, you are our legacy -- how could you fail to be successful? We did everything for you; we sent you to good schools, we loaded you up with self-esteem, we smothered you with quality time, we let you listen to our music, we invented cell phones for you, we "edited" your college application essays, we let you call us by our first names -- what more could you have asked for?"
-- Garry Trudeau, Goucher College

"Radcliffe was a great place to live. There were more women up there, and most of the guys were science-math types. That combination offered me the best odds, if you know what I mean. This is where I learned the sad lesson that improving your odds doesn't guarantee success."
-- Bill Gates, Harvard University