The Best Prospective Commencement Speakers In 2012 (SLIDESHOW)

It's getting closer to that time of year. That's right, it's nearly commencement season!

It's that day when thousands of young 20-somethings wake up as undergraduate students, and go to bed as unemployed college graduates. Well, congrats college grads! As Michael Scott would say, "May your hats fly as high as your dreams."

There are big names in journalism, celebrities and world leaders speaking at some lucky schools and we're keeping track.

Check out 18 of the biggest lineups and let us know which ones are you excited about:

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Comments

[PeterTormey]

05:38 PM on 04/29/2012

What about Archbishop Desmond Tutu speaking at Gonzaga University's Senior Commencement on May 13? http://news.gonzaga.edu/2012/gonzaga-offer-live-video-stream

[TrueNorth88]

03:34 PM on 04/17/2012

Woo-hoo Tony Blair at Colby.

[KB147206]

11:00 AM on 04/06/2012

Nancy Cartwright (Bart Simpson) at Ohio University should be on this list.

[pogl3]

07:25 PM on 04/04/2012

You manage to quote Michael Scott in the article and NOT mention that Steve Carrel is speaking at Princeton. Well played.

[ricchh]

05:29 PM on 04/04/2012

Barnard scored the best.

[barbara jay]

01:50 PM on 04/05/2012

The President couldn't have chosen a finer school.

[patriciacaldwell]

07:49 PM on 04/10/2012

I agree, but Duke will have Fareed Zakaria. I'd like to hear both.

[dolemites junk]

05:04 PM on 04/04/2012

Why would Brokaw slum it? Seriously thought - which of these schools wins the most flasks in the audience award? Unironically, the lowest admissions standards too.

[thewirah]

04:34 PM on 04/04/2012

No Rush Limbaugh?

[ny1989]

04:18 PM on 04/04/2012

bloomie will also be speaking at cornell

[TomDi]

04:15 PM on 04/04/2012

With the exception of a two on this list, the others are a who's who of liberal hacks. I suppose there are no real conservatives that could possibly be on this list? Seriously???

[patriciacaldwell]

07:50 PM on 04/10/2012

Don't worry. The Cons will cover the Bible-based institutions.

[TrueNorth88]

03:36 PM on 04/17/2012

Andy Card spoke at my child's high school commencement last year. It was gag-worthy.

[TomDi]

04:26 PM on 04/17/2012

truenorth, based on your post I assume it was very uplifting, positive and all American which for a liberal that would be considered gag-worthy.

[bungerman]

03:55 PM on 04/04/2012

No Neil Degrasse Tyson, fail HP.

[New England Patriot]

03:41 PM on 04/04/2012

....But the bishop in Worcester has forced Anna Maria College to withdraw its invitation to Vicki Kennedy to speak at its commencement .... is our country becoming a theocracy ??? Shame on the Catholic Church....Why have they allowed warmonger Republicans to speak, but are silencing anyone who has a disagreement with Rome ? Ridiculous!!!!!!!

[Trebla]

03:13 PM on 04/04/2012

What's with the bias to the right side of America? I counted only three schools west of the Mississippi. The pols & media types need to get out of DC & New York more often.- great stuff happening out here.

[OregonCHG]

02:47 PM on 04/04/2012

Correct me if I am wrong, but doesn't the President also give the commencement for at least one of the three major service academies each year as well? I'm not saying hp was slighting the academies or anything I just thought that was always on the agenda.

[Cacey]

04:57 PM on 04/04/2012

No.

[CAhye]

02:46 PM on 04/04/2012

SC couldnt get a better speaker?

[Brooklyn0610]

02:37 PM on 04/04/2012

Funnily enough, I was most excited about Bill Nye!