Oprah Winfrey will deliver the graduation address at Harvard University’s 2013 commencement, announced the school in a statement Monday morning.
“Oprah’s journey from her grandmother’s Mississippi farm to becoming one of the world’s most admired women is one of the great American success stories,” said Harvard President Drew Faust to the school’s newspaper, the Harvard Gazette.
Faust continued that Winfrey, 59, “has used her extraordinary influence and reach as a force for good in the world, with a constant focus on the importance of educational opportunity and the virtues of serving others.”
Winfrey will deliver her address at the school’s 362nd graduation exercises on May 30.
Carl F. Muller, president of the Harvard Alumni Association, applauded the selection, also citing Winfrey’s efforts to give back on a global scale. “Oprah Winfrey is an inspiration to people around the world who care about opening minds and serving the common good. I know our alumni will value the opportunity to hear from her in May,” he said. In previous years, Harvard graduation speakers have included Bill Gates and J.K. Rowling.
Oprah is one of the most sought after graduation speakers for universities. She has previously given addresses at Spellman College in 2012 and Duke University in 2009. At Duke, Oprah had a personal connection to the graduates. Her godson, Will Bumpus (best friend Gayle King’s son) was graduating. “I’m like the crazy aunt they keep in the attic,” said Winfrey at the ceremony, “they let me out to do commencements.”
This May, Winfrey will likely also receive an honorary degree from Harvard, which is custom for high-profile speakers at university commencements. You can watch Oprah’s 2012 speech at Spellman commencement here:
