Tag: commencement

Griffin brothers to deliver virtual commencement address at UCF

Shaquill and Shaquem Griffin of the Seahawks will be the commencement speakers at the virtual graduation ceremony at UCF in May.

COVID-19’s impact on the daily lives of everyone in the United States has been profound, turning nearly all events that are not cancelled into virtual events, for better or for worse.

Among those events that are now being held over a screen are most graduation ceremonies, both at the high school and collegiate level.

That’s not stopping schools from going out and finding notable alumni to serve as commencement speakers, and the University of Central Florida recently announced that Seattle Seahawks twin brothers Shaquill and Shaquem Griffin will be the commencement speakers for 2020.

The ceremony will be held virtually on May 2 and will be streamed on Facebook and Youtube, per a press release.

The Griffin brothers each graduated from UCF in 2016 with Bachelor of Arts in Human Communication degrees.

Shaquill has been with the team since 2017 and made his first Pro Bowl last year, while Shaquem stepped into a larger role on the defense partway through last season as a pass rusher off the edge.

The brothers will not be the only Seahawks who have given commencement addresses, as quarterback Russell Wilson gave one at Wisconsin in 2016. Free agent running back Marshawn Lynch was scheduled to present at Princeton’s Class Day as well, although the COVID-19 crisis has put that up in the air for now.

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Marshawn Lynch to speak at Princeton’s Class Day ceremony

Former Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch has been selected as the Class Day speaker at Princeton University’s graduation.

Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch is known as a lot of things: elite football player, philanthropist, entrepreneur, actor, and now – public speaker.

Lynch’s past public speaking endeavors have been noted primarily for their brevity, as he has made it clear conversing with the media is not his cup of tea.

When he does speak, he often leaves the listeners with extremely memorable sound bites, including his most recent “take care of yo’ chicken” advice to younger players, which Lynch has now trademarked and branded with his clothing line, Beast Mode Apparel.

Lynch’s next speaking event won’t be to the NFL’s young talent, but rather the 2020 graduating class at Princeton University, one of America’s most prestigious colleges.

“Mr. Lynch’s sustained professional excellence is not the only reason we are excited to have him serve as our Class Day speaker,” said a few of the Class Day co-chairs. “His substantive work in communities stands alongside his on-field success…From his stops in the Bay Area, to Buffalo, to Seattle, Mr. Lynch has always prioritized community engagement and empowerment by leveraging his prominence as a professional athlete to promote opportunities for civic engagement and social justice.”

No word on if Lynch’s financial advice will be the same with Princeton grads as it was to the rest of the NFL – but you can bet it will be entertaining nonetheless.

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