Understand your audience and direct your first words to them. Do not recycle a generic speech that is not specific to the time or place where you are giving the graduation address. Include the name of the school or specific anecdotes about your experience with members of the faculty or institution. Be conscious of all the people who are listening -- parents, faculty and students -- and be sensitive to diverse life experiences of your audience.
Start on a positive note. Commencement is a time for inspiration and looking forward. Even in pessimistic times, new graduates are looking toward the future and graduation speeches should begin on a hopeful note. Remember that the commencement speech is not about you and your experiences, but about the graduates and the life ahead of them. Even the most cynical graduate should feel upbeat at this moment.
Begin with a joke or a story to engage your audience and make them feel at ease. Although commencement is a formal occasion, it is also a personal one for the graduates and their families. Introductions that include humor and personal anecdotes can help you connect with your listeners and keep them listening throughout the address. As always, be sensitive to the different types of listeners and do not make off-color or controversial jokes.
Do not be overly formal or stiff. Although commencement is a formal occasion, it is also a personal one for the graduates and their families. Use informal language in your introduction to help you connect with your audience and make the speech more meaningful for them individually.
Keep the introduction brief and focused. Make the start concise and to the point and then proceed to the body of your speech. Graduation speeches should not be overly long and the prologue to your address should reflect that.