https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode Instructions 1. Choose, listen to, and post (on our class Padlet below) a graduation speech from the NPR "Best Commencement Speeches, Ever" archive (see the link in Google Classroom). 2. As you listen to the speech, analyze the effective elements (verbal, nonverbal, and rhetorical appeals - ethos, pathos, logos) you hear/see. 3. In this Padlet, write a thick paragraph (4-5 sentences minimum) that identifies the speech's overarching message and the effective elements (verbal, nonverbal, and rhetorical appeals - ethos, pathos, logos) you hear/see. en-us 2018-03-29 14:26:27 UTC 2025-10-04 15:56:37 UTC hello@padlet.com jingersoll3 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247269312 1992 University of New Hampshire graduate Jennifer Lee's commencement speech compels the graduating class of 2014 to "ban self-doubt." She tells several stories (using pathos) from her life to make her message relatable to students. As a UNH alumna and director of box office smash "Frozen," Jennifer has ethos (her accomplishments show us that she is credible) and uses humor (pathos to appeal to our comfort level) to communicate her compelling message. She also talks with her hands, which is an effective element of her nonverbal communication to her audience. She shares that, even with a blockbuster film under her belt, she has to find self-doubt. Most of us can relate and the message is powerful. If she has self-doubt and can defeat it, we can, too. ]]> 2018-03-29 14:29:38 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247269312 njones202 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247532767 Adam Savage was invited to speak to the graduating class of 2012 from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, not as an alum but as an exceptional, influential human. As an actor, scientist, artist, comedian, costume designer, carpenter, and countless other titles, he offers experiences, advice, and lessons he's encountered in his life with humour, exaggeration, and intelligence. Adam manages to take something as serious as your life and your future, and dissolves your worries and stress with his comedic thoughts and experiences as he discusses the ups and downs of adulthood in a lighthearted manner. ]]> 2018-03-30 17:48:33 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247532767 mperry202 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247560445 Wesley Chan a University of California, San Diego, 2006 graduate returned 6 years later to give the  graduation speech. In his time at the school he started a youtube channel which has now become sensation with almost a million subscribers. His plan was never to be a youtuber he just did it on the side with his friends they started their video making befour youtube was a thing. He made a personal connection with the students saying how you feel the same graduating collage as high school, not quite sure what is going to happen with the rest of your life. Just let it flow and see how things go. If you work hard enough everything will work out. He uses humor (porthos) frome movies and other films to get people to laugh and still stay engaged.


video]]> 2018-03-30 23:14:53 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247560445 jakeehret https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247638868 Ed Helms graduated from the University of Virginia and spoke to the class of 2015 about his life. His commencement speech tells the graduates to define themselves and don't have anyone define you. He mainly uses comedy to connect with the students and this is a strong form of pathos. Along with ethos, Ed expresses his gratitude to all the people that have helped him become the celebrity he is today. He started his career declining being a lawyer, but wanting to pursue acting. After beng defined by not "a real actor", he soon became a hit on The Office. His message shows how don't have others define who you are going to turn out to be, but figure it out yourself. He uses had gestures and comedy to keep the audience engaged along with a very powerful message. ]]> 2018-04-01 02:37:39 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247638868 ndillon20 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247672923 Maya Rudolph spoke at Tulane University in 2015. She did not graduate their, but her father was a graduate, and her cousin was graduating the year she made her speech. Maya, who is a hilarious comedian, used her humor to deliver a funny and heartning speech about following your dreams. She used mainly pathos in her speech, using anecdotes to to lighten the mood. Using examples from her life that were funny, and made her seem more human. She used some ethos, by mentioning her career. She talked about how it was her dream, ever since she was little to be on SNL. She told the graduating class to never give up on their dreams, and always work hard for their dreams because one day they can become real, just like her dream. She used lot's of nonverbal communication, mostly with her eyes. To convey pathos, and make her speech even funnier. ]]> 2018-04-01 14:59:07 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247672923 ldukette20 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247686087 Abigail Washburn graduated colorado collage in 1999. Going back to talk to the graduating class of 2012 she tells 3 main stories about herself but also talks about herself when she was younger. she uses her stories to talk about fulfilling her own dreams and presenting that same option or idea to the graduation class of 2012. She also used her own love for music and writers to grab the audience's attention, singing her favorite lines from whitney houston as the class cheers her on she goes on about her dreams and that possibilities of others. the entire time, knowing that she had everything she was going to say right in front of her she seemed to have parts known by heart and arts where she was able to use her hands to make the number 3 more dramatic for her speech. Long pauses and occasionally looks at the crowd she continues to impress the crowd with her voice and her stories. ]]> 2018-04-01 18:02:14 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247686087 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247706476 Wynton Marsalis graduated from University Of Vermont in 2013. He wrote a speech to present to his graduating class. They way that he wrote his speech was very smart, he used different view points in order to help the audience and everyone that mayb ever watch his speech understand what life can be like. For example, he used the view points of parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters, friends and family in general and how they will view the person you become. It was a very motivational speech because everyone was able to relate in some way. I think he did a good job presenting this speech not only because of the way it was written but also the way he would pause for effect and his hand movements. He gestured a lot which was helpful for me a viewer to gain a clearer understanding of what he is trying to say. He also was very confident in his speech, he didn't stutter and he looked as if he belonged up there behind that podium. 

]]> 2018-04-01 22:57:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247706476 sheinz20 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247720819 In 2011, Whoopi Goldberg made a commencement speech in the place she always dreamed of as a child. Whoopi used ethos when sharing stories, that the graduates could relate to, from her childhood. In the stories she conveyed two important messages: individuality and compromise. To convey individuality she shares how her mom made sure she knew it was better to be yourself than to blend in with the crowd. She shared compromise by relating to how in the world of art, not everyone is going to agree with you. There will be times when you have to roll with it and other times when you have to make it work for them, you just have to know what to do when. Whoopi makes sure to interact with her audience and makes them laugh with jokes and parts of her stories. She also doesn't just focus on one spot in the room, she rotates and looks throughout her audience multiple times. Another effective strategy she used was looking confident and like she belonged. Whoopi didn't stutter or forget what she was talking about, she knew exactly what she was doing, which made it easier to watch.]]> 2018-04-02 02:07:56 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247720819 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247813021 (Brodie)
Will Ferrell gave a speech at Harvard University in 2003 even though he didn't go to college there.  His speech was entertaining, funny, and got the crowd involved.  Although he made a ton of jokes there were some good points made about what students need to do after graduation.  He use examples from music,  did a George Bush impression, and reminded students of times when they shouldn't be using their cell phone.]]> 2018-04-02 14:23:10 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247813021 rgingras20 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247814700 Steve Jobs never graduated from college. This commencement speech is the thing to college graduation.He tells 3 stories in his speech the first is about connecting the dots. He dropped of Reed college for 6 months, but stayed around as a drop-in for 18 months before he really quit. He quit because his biological mother was a young unwed graduate student and decided to put him up for adoption. She felt very strongly that he should be adopted by college graduates. ]]> 2018-04-02 14:28:03 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247814700 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247827623 In 2009, Ellen Degeneres gave the commencement speech at Tulane University.  She also gave the speech there in 2006.  Ellen didn't go to college at all and she is now a huge celebrity. She had no idea what she wanted to do until her girlfriend was killed in a car accident. She wrote a conversation between her and god and she went on a show. She started stand up comedy. She found that the most important thing is to be true to yourself. She talks about experiences in her life that changed her to make her who she is today. She is using pathos in her speech. She brings humour into her speech to make it more enjoyable. She also brought some emotion to her speech, which shows how she became who she is today. ]]> 2018-04-02 15:04:13 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247827623 cthompson202 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247829260 Michelle Obama was gracious and polite in the beginning of her speech, thanking the people around her. This established ethos, along with her reputation, as someone who cares for others. She didn't act too self-important, despite her being First Lady at the time. She also brought up specific examples of students and people in the crowd, saying how she was proud of them and how accomplished they were, which connected to people's pathos. She also used a historical story of the oppression of black people in the country, and how, despite their struggles, education has helped people rise up and become greater than the country told them they could be. 
She then segues into the importance of people everywhere having the right to education, bringing the examples of Malala being shot and girls who were kidnapped in Nigeria for wanting education. She encourages all students to keep fighting, and reaching higher to build their own legacies. ]]> 2018-04-02 15:08:59 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247829260 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247836225 Ellen Degeneres spoke at Tulane University in 2009 she used her humor to gain attention and to make her speech more interesting. Ellen also had a connection to New Orleans because that is were the grew up and suprisingly never went to collage an became a huge celebrity . When Ellen was younger she was driving and went by a car crash and didn't think much of it until she got home and was informed it was her girlfriend and that she had past away. She had to hide the fact that she was gay for a long time and when she finally came out a lot of people no longer talked to her. This was a wake up call to Ellen to use her voice to change the way people think because she was famous. Her overall message that I thought was good was to be yourself. Don't change who you are just to fit in.]]> 2018-04-02 15:28:19 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247836225 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247864671 JFK gave his commencement speech at American University in 1963. He was very monotone and had limited emotion while talking during his first few minutes. Since he was the current President, he was formal and honest. He used pathos when talking about Peace. He spoke about his fear for the next generations while linking those fears to the second World War and the nuclear abilities between the leaders of the world. He is preaching the new young adults about the uselessness of nuclear abilities and how the young adults can lead the nation to look within ourselves to become thoughtful peaceful citizens. He uses ethos while naming wars and nations that can be influenced by the new coming leaders of the world. He shows the new leaders that there is no "key" to peace, nothing we can find or locate. Peace is a process, he preaches while also teaching the graduates about mutual tolerance, patience, cooperation and the dynamics of the world. He gives the new graduates a new outlook on life, asking them to look at people without judgement and understand all sides. You can understand from this speech, he is ready for the new leaders of the world to come forth and work for peace. ]]> 2018-04-02 16:49:27 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247864671 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247891738 Will Ferrell uses humor and to open up his speech and he also looks around to the audience and after he tells a joke he lets them laugh so he doesn't talk over them and so the audience hears everything he says. Will looks at his speech that is on the podium and the audience  about equal. e plays a song. ]]> 2018-04-02 18:09:09 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247891738 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247893700 (Dylan) Anna Quindlen gave her commencement speech at Villanova in 2000. She talks about how people are going to graduate with same GPA and similar grades too you. But that no one else has control over your life, making you unique. She says to make sure you have a life outside of work and don't let it fully define who you are. This appeals to Ethos because she is getting at people's emotions and making them motivated. She says to have a life where you notice the little things.

]]> 2018-04-02 18:14:52 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247893700 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247895563 Wynton Marsalis is a man who graduated from The University of Vermont in the year 2013. He wrote a speech that he then presented to the graduating class. He wrote this speech and presented it by showing and talking about the different viewpoints. He not only talked about kids, but also as far as grandparents and common citizens. He makes the connections and directly involves the graduating class. He gives examples as to what they have done and completed during their time at the school. Then gave examples of all the great things that they could and will accomplish later on in life. He made direct connections and used humor and facts to support what he was saying and why it was important.]]> 2018-04-02 18:19:59 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247895563 https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247896347 Natalie used eye contact throughout her speech and would break away from her transcript when she brought up a subject that made people cheer or shout, which made it more personal for the people listening to her speech. She also used facial expressions and emphasis on certain words as forms of nonverbal communication to help enhance her speaking. Natalie used a lot of Ethos in her speech because she addressed many of her accomplishments in acting (such as an Oscar). But she also used a lot of Pathos when she discussed having depression and extreme stress when at Harvard which provokes sympathy/empathy, and discussing the importance of human connection with her family and friends which others can relate to.]]> 2018-04-02 18:22:00 UTC https://padlet.com/jingersoll3/r9pswedsmode/wish/247896347