University of Maryland senior Andrew Thompson woke up to the news Wednesday that his starting speaker was not a politician, technical executive or astronaut.
Rather, he is sent into the labor force by hilarious fleece dolls.
It was great news for some students who have already begun calling their May graduation ceremonies “kermencement.” Still, Thompson said he and his roommates felt contraction. He didn't want to sound ungrateful, but he couldn't see why he was supposed to hear life advice from a fictional character.
“It's a bit ridiculous and I have a puppet as the starting speaker,” said Thompson, 22, a mechanical engineering major.
This year, the glamour and circumstances of graduation will oppose the backdrop of turbulent higher education.
Which speakers can navigate that political minefield unharmedly and convey an uplifting message to their alumni? The University of Maryland only knew frogs for this job. Its creator, Jim Henson, graduated from school in 1960.
For some students, like Rohin Mishra (21), opinion editors of the school's independent student newspaper, it seemed like they were trying to avoid the university “having to address real issues by not having a real speaker.”
“I'm sure it's interesting,” he added. “I think that's good. I don't know how insightful it will provide.”
A University of Maryland spokesperson was asked if Kermit's choice had anything to do with minimizing the chances of blowbacking the ceremony. She said the choice received positive feedback from the students.
For many well-known speakers, starting speeches are increasingly unattractive gigs, according to David Murray, executive director of the Professional Speechwriters Association. He saw Kermit “intriguing” and potentially effective work in difficult moments for academic institutions.
“Schools are walking on eggshells,” he said. “No one is leading on their chins because everyone is afraid of ruining their contributions, being investigated and cutting off funds.”
Kermit may adhere to his script. Still, he added that bounces off the choice may come with its own risk.
Muppets Studio spokesman Frank Reifsnyder said in an email that Kermit's speech will be written by Muppets writers, and that Kermit's voice and movement will be provided by the character's puppets puppets since 2017.
Kermit had previously experienced graduation rigmalroll. When he was a starting speaker at Southampton University, part of Long Island University in 1996, some students decorated their hats with stuffed animals. Others groaned.
“I worked here for five years and now the socks talk when we start,” Samantha Chie, Marine Biology major at Liu, told the New York Times at the start. “That's a bit upsetting.”
A similar division appeared on the University of Maryland campus this week.
Jeffrey Chan, 22, a senior government and information design major, had heard some of his classmates claim that the school should choose more substantive speakers.
“Frankly, I'm really excited to see Kermit the Frog coming,” Chan said. He thought that the frog “brings the joys they need when the world is very uncertain.”
Apurva Mahajan, a junior, 19-year-old studying journalism and government, observed a mixture of excitement and indifference among students. “I think that's a very safe option because Kermit can't say anything really crazy,” he said. “I feel that will be a general opening speech.”
Perhaps that is a lesson that universities are actually communicating with students.
In fact, this is a very 2025 lesson, omitted in the exact moment when top law firms are being attacked by Trump and universities, and in abandoning their flagship diversity, equity and inclusion programs. It remains to be seen whether it will cheer up the crowd at the start.
“I don't think I'll go,” said Mishra, a graduate of a master's degree in applied political analysis. “I'll watch the speech on YouTube or something.”
