The Best Commencement Addresses Of All Time

"You must bite the hand that feeds you. You are perhaps always told the opposite of this. The opposite of this is often said to you, 'Do not bite the hand that feeds you.' But from time to time I tell you, you must."
—Jamaica Kincaid, Grinnell College

"...make no mistake about it, you are dumb. You're a group of incredibly well-educated dumb people. I was there. We all were there. You're barely functional. There are some screw-ups headed your way. I wish I could tell you that there was a trick to avoiding the screw-ups, but the screw-ups, they're a-coming for ya." 
—Aaron Sorkin, Syracuse

There are lots of great quotes from previous commencement speeches—and lots of simply great commencement speeches.

On Thursday evening, the graduates of Montclair High School will be treated to a commencement address by Andrew Finkelstein, a Montclair High School graduate and Hollywood talent agent.

Finkelstein, who is an agent at William Morris Endeavor (WME), grew up in Montclair. Following his graduation from MHS, he received his BA from Cornell University where he majored in psychology. Upon graduation, Andrew took film courses at NYU and then headed to Los Angeles to start his journey in the entertainment industry. He entered the mailroom at ICM talent agency where he met his mentor, legendary talent agent, Ed Limato. Finkelstein became the late Limato’s longest running apprentice and now continues his legacy as a motion picture agent at WME by representing several of his star clients, including Denzel Washington, Steve Martin and Richard Gere, while shepherding a new generation of talent. In 2011, Variety magazine named him one of “Hollywood’s New Leaders.”

“I love the roller coaster — every day is awesome and awful," says Finkelstein. "I've had an amazing ride.”

So what do you think are some of the greatest all-time commencement speeches?

According to Time magazine, here are 10 of the best:

—David Foster Wallace, Kenyon, 2005

—Steve Jobs, Stanford, 2005

—Conan O'Brien, Harvard, 2000

—Russell Baker, Connecticut College, 1995

—Winston Churchill, Harrow School, 1941

—George Marshall, Harvard, 1947

—John F. Kennedy, American University, 1963

—Bradley Whitford, Wisconsin, 2006

—Barbara Kingsolver, Duke, 2008

—Stephen Colbert, Knox College, 2006

Colbert, a Montclair resident, told the Knox College class: "Cynicism is a self-imposed blindness, a rejection of the world because we are afraid it will hurt us or be disappointed in us. Cynics always say no ... for as long as you have the strength to, say yes."

So what do you think? Tell us your favorite commencement address, or who spoke at your graduation, in the comments section below.