In the spirit of graduation, I took some time out of my busy schedule to watch the wisdom imparted by commencement speakers at top universities. Amidst the (very) occasional teary eyes I had while watching the inspirational and heartfelt speeches of Bill Gates, Chadwick Boseman and Stephen Colbert at their alma maters, it was remarkable to reflect on their success and humble beginnings in college. As I listened to their insights, experiences and stories of achievement, I began to wonder what UNC’s lineup of commencement speakers has looked like.
As I dug through the University Libraries’ database of past commencement speakers, my suspicions were confirmed. Obviously, UNC’s lineup doesn’t measure up to alumni at Ivies, but it also doesn’t quite compare to peer public institutions like UVA, UCLA or Michigan.
While our speakers are undoubtedly accomplished and deserving of respect, graduation speakers tend to be successful professionals rather than the kind of inspirational changemakers who have become household names outside of athletics. UNC's remarkable network reflects the high-achieving nature of its graduates through figures like Frank Bruni of The New York Times and Zena Cardman of NASA, but it’s a different kind of success.
And while there’s much to be said about the value of these alumni speakers and what they represent, I believe it highlights a core aspect of UNC’s culture and alumni network: one rooted less in stardom and cultural influence and more in conventional success — the kind you encounter in corporate boardrooms or hear about from a family member.
I’m not blind to UNC’s legacy of greatness in its sports culture, but it definitely shows UNC’s effort and investment as a whole. Icons like Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm stand among the finest to emerge from our storied athletic programs. But our sports programs have always driven our collective alumni stardom; UNC’s focus leaves behind potential stars in other industries.
If you take a step back and examine the alumni landscape, it becomes clear that UNC no longer produces "greats" the way it once did. We’re turning out good students and reliable professionals — individuals who will secure stable jobs and lead successful lives — but not in the same way alumni from other leading public institutions do. The distinction lies in the kind of impact our graduates make: solid, respectable careers, but fewer trailblazers who redefine industries or become cultural touchstones.
UNC culture leans more toward stability, sustainability and simply enjoying your college years. There’s less of a drive for students to carve out a name for themselves or to challenge the status quo. Instead, the emphasis seems to be on following a well-trodden path, one that leads to a comfortable, respectable life, but rarely encourages taking the risks that lead to extraordinary impact.
While stardom or outsized impact shouldn't be the ultimate goal of all students, the University should challenge the current mindset centered on job stability and conventional success. There will always be a majority of students who end up in stable careers, but it is those select few who challenge the norm that truly achieve greatness and universal success that seem to be absent from our alumni. Encouraging students to think beyond secure careers, to innovate, take risks and aspire to redefine industries or societal norms, is how UNC can begin to foster the next generation of trailblazers, not just professionals.
