Friday, May 23, 2025
In his quintessential keynote at the University of Maryland 2025 commencement, Kermit the Frog shared three points that he described as close to his heart. And I embraced them as well!
I can’t even recall who spoke at my own college commencement ceremonies all those years ago. However, I’m incredibly proud of earning both my Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees at the University of Maryland.
A a result, the UMD 2025 Commencement Keynote Speaker—Kermit the Frog–caught my attention. (His creator was Jim Henson, one of the most famous University of Maryland alums.)
Even though my own cap-and-gown days at College Park feel like a lifetime ago, I resonated with the message Kermit shared.
And wearing my motivational speaker hat, I appreciated how he followed the quintessential keynote structure: Three Points and a Poem. Or in this case, three points and a Muppet Movie sing-along song.
His message was memorable, meaningful…and made just for UMD!
In his quintessential commencement keynote, Kermit shared these three points:
- Finding Your People
-“Appreciate people for who they are”
-“Life is not a solo act – It’s better when you’re with your people”
-“Always be on the lookout for old friends you just met.” - Taking the Leap
-“Rather than jumping over people to get what you want, reach out for someone’s hand and leap together.”
-“Life is better when we leap together.” - Making Connections
-“Stay connected to your loved ones. Stay connected to your friends. Stay connected to your dreams.”
-“Dreams are how we figure out where we want to go and life is how we get there.”
In conclusion, he said ”Life is like a movie. Write your own ending!” [Finale: A sing-along song from The Muppet Movie.]
View Kermit the Frog University of Maryland Commencement Keynote Speech Here
More insights on working together – Sarita’s 2024 blog post How to Work Together Better