Kerry Washington gave the commencement speech at George Washington University on Sunday May 19.
“So honored and truly humbled to be giving the commencement address this morning at George Washington University,” the actress tweeted before the big day.
“Year after year, GW sends its graduates into the world on the wings of advice from esteemed leaders and thinkers. And this year—you got me,” joked the Scandal star and GWU grad. “I know what some of you are thinking. You’re thinking, ‘We’re celebrating our academic and intellectual achievement with that lady who’s having an affair with the president on that TV show?’ I play a character that is smart and successful and powerful. Olivia Pope could give you awesome advice on making it to the top, but in real life, I’m just an actor. I play pretend. I tell stories. So bear with me, because that’s what I’m going to do.”
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But she did have some great words for the students whom she encouraged to take charge of their future:
“When you leave here today and commence the next stage of your life, you can follow someone else’s script, try to make choices that will make other people happy, avoid discomfort, do what is expected, and copy the status quo,” Kerry told the audience. “Or you can look at all that you have accomplished today and use it as fuel to venture forth and write your own story. If you do, amazing things will take shape.”
She added, “You and you alone are the only person that can live the life that writes the story that you were meant to tell. And the world needs your story because the world needs your voice. Every single one of you. And because as your story unfolds, you will inspire others to find their stories, and so on. And those are the stories that I can’t wait to watch. In fact, don’t be surprised if you get a call from me wanting to option the really good ones into movies because I’m so Hollywood now.”
Kerry who graduated from George Washington University in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts was named an Honorary Doctor of Fine Arts during the commencement ceremony.
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