UCLA's Graduation Speaker: Bleeding Out Blue And Gold
by Nestor on Jun 7, 2009 9:06 AM PDT
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PrintSo on Friday's roundup I wrote about how UCLA was looking a new graduation speaker after James Franco had pulled out (and there is speculation that idiotic protests by the Daily Bruin editorial section and some opposition via facebook groups might have had an impact on him pulling out). Lot of folks were pulling for Conan O'Brien. But it looks like UCLA came through with a pretty solid replacement:
Brad Delson, a UCLA alumnus and lead guitarist for the Grammy-winning band Linkin Park, will deliver keynote remarks at the UCLA College of Letters and Science commencement ceremony on June 12, campus officials announced today.
Delson earned a bachelor's degree in communication studies from UCLA, graduating summa cum laude in 1999. His band Linkin Park was signed by Warner Bros. Records in 2000 and has released three albums that have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide. The group's unique blend of alternative rock, hip-hop and electronic music has earned them critical praise, numerous industry honors, Grammy awards and an international audience of millions of devoted fans.
Delson and his bandmates are devoted to several social causes. Linkin Park established a nonprofit organization called Music for Relief to aid victims of world catastrophes and combat global warming. Since its establishment, the organization has raised nearly $3 million, helping victims of the South Asian tsunami, Hurricane Katrina and the recent Southern California wildfires.
Delson and his wife established the Delson Scholarship Fund at UCLA, which annually awards four-year scholarships to extraordinary students from Huntington Park, Calif.
"Brad Delson is not only an innovative musician, but he is also a social activist who is committed to change through education," said Judith L. Smith, dean and vice provost for undergraduate education in the UCLA College of Letters and Science. "I am thrilled that Brad will be helping to commemorate this important occasion in the lives of our graduates and their families, and we are grateful that he has agreed to do so on short notice."
Brad also bleeds out blue and gold. Here is just one example:
I am certainly envious of all the grads who are going to be walking into Pauley in a week or so. They get to walk in with Aikman and Drew Olson and then get to hear from a great Bruin.
I don't even remember who spoke at my graduation years ago. I remember how incredible it felt that whole day though including the moments from gathering at Drake to that walk into Pauley.
GO BRUINS.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of BruinsNation's (BN) editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of BN's editors.
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Btad Delson went to my high school
and I was on the volleyball team with his younger brother. His mom was also the librarian while I was there. The whole Delson family is very nice. I just hope he doesn’t feel the wrath of the student body, which should be directed at the administration, not the person generous enough to step in at the last moment
I think he’s an infinitely better choice than Franco, but still think UCLA should do better to line up better speakers.
Awesome Bruin, love his dedication to his alma mater!
I had no problem with neither of them. After all, it’s not my party.
But let’s face it… Arizona gets Obama, USC* gets the Governator, Berkeley had Chris Gardner (guy who inspired “The Pursuit of Happyness”), Oregon State gets co-found of nVidia (alum & very successful), Stanford gets SCOTUS Associate Justice Kennedy… And UCLA’s first choice is a B-list actor. Good guy and all, but still. 2nd choice is a rocking rock artist. Sometimes we have to take off the Bruin Blue-colored glasses…
Meh
We had Michelle Obama even before she became the First Lady. We had Clinton over campus multiple times when I was a student including for celebration of our 75 year anniversary. I don’t think I need to look up all the famous folks who have to come UCLA over the years and every year. We can easily do a separate blog (not just a post) on that topic alone.
I don’t remember who was my graduation speaker and I frankly don’t really care. That week was important to me not because who spoke at graduation but the moments I had with people I had friendships with that is going to last a life time.
This is a much ado about nothing and I sure hope the students are respectful to Brad who has proven himself to be an accomplished Bruin.
I agree
I was one of the class that Clinton backed out on, and maybe it’s because it’s not my graduation here, but having been through one I can honestly say that at the end of the day, it’s someone standing in front of you spouting platitudes about being the future and whatnot. Sometimes they’ll incorporate the reason that they are distinguished into the speech itself which is kind of fun, but really 95% of the speech is the same stuff that’s going on all across the country. That 5% is why I would push for someone like O’Brien who distinguishes himself with comedy. However, because of the overall generic feel for these kinds of speeches, I feel like Delson is more than qualified to speak here.
Trust me guys, “In the end, it doesn’t even matter”.
A lot of people are upset
both with the fact that Franco canceled at the last minute and that he was selected in the first place. They are upset at the administration (as am I at the moment) because this is the second straight year that the selection committee has dropped the ball when it comes to the keynote speaker. Granted Clinton declined because of the strike which the university could not control, but he did so at the last minute, and the committee failed to procure a replacement, which they should have been more than prepared to do given the circumstances. The Class of 08’s keynote speaker ended up being the student body president and he was given about a day and a half’s notice
I'm not sure the school is aiming high enough
We first went for an actor with a pretty truncated resume, then we went for a rock singer? Sure, the actor may go on to do great things, but he hasn’t yet. Sure, the rock singer is donating money to charity, but he’s still a rock singer who donates money to charity. There are tons of politicians out there who yearn for a place to make a speech – California’s two senators are no shrinking violets. There are secretaries of state, or Supreme Court justices. There are heads of major businesses. Heck, if the key criterion is being a UCLA graduate, how about Coach Neuheisel?
All that said, I didn’t participate in graduation long ago, opting instead to work, so I probably am unqualified to offer an opinion here. Nonetheless, I have to think that the school could have and should have obtained a more distinguished speaker.
Maybe it's like the bar scene...
…just going for the option with the highest chance of success…rather than the one you really want but are afraid will reject you…
It’s really not that big a deal anyway…it’s not like any student has ever had an epiphany from listening to a commencement speech…a little humor, a little inspiration…don’t need much else.
But hey, what do I know. I’m just the 800 lbs bruin in the room.
You aimed high when you wooed Mrs. Tasser10, didn't you?
Once in a while we all hit the jackpot, but you won’t find out unless you try.
i could be wrong...
but i think he UC’s have a policy of not offering an honorarium or honorary degrees for grad speakers which could be a explanation for the less than stellar grad speakers. i could be wrong but i vaguely recall hearing this before
Across The Face
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