Governor Whitmer Delivers Final Commencement Speech at Michigan State
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer returns to Michigan State for her final commencement speech as governor, sharing memories of her student days and reflecting on transitions.
EAST LANSING, MICHIGAN — Governor Gretchen Whitmer returned to her alma mater Friday to deliver the commencement address at Michigan State University, marking what she said would be her final speech as governor to graduating students.
Whitmer spoke to graduates at the Breslin Center as she enters her final year in office due to term limits. The Democratic governor, who earned her bachelor’s degree in communications from MSU in 1993 and her law degree in 1998, told the audience this address held special significance for her.
“This is where it all started for me, and part of me will always be here,” Whitmer said during the ceremony. She described MSU as “one of her favorite places in the whole wide world” and said she spent the happiest years of her life there.
Memories of Spartan Life
The governor shared personal anecdotes from her time as a student, telling graduates that two major world events occurred during her first year at MSU: the Berlin Wall fell, and the first couch was burned at Cedar Village.
“I may or may not have been at one of those events,” Whitmer said. “Let’s just say I didn’t have a passport.”
Whitmer recalled participating in traditional MSU experiences, including the midnight scream during finals week and “downing my fair share of Shark Bowls” at Landshark Bar & Grill. She described her early weeks at the university, when she was studying to become a sports broadcaster and Tom Izzo served as an assistant coach, as “just magical.”
Transition Period for Governor
The commencement speech comes as Whitmer prepares for her own career transition. She is constitutionally prohibited from seeking a third consecutive term as governor, making this her final year in office.
“When my mom dropped me off at Wonders Hall, we cried, we hugged, and then she didn’t hear from me for two weeks,” Whitmer told the graduates. “We didn’t have cell phones. Thank God, or I don’t know if I’d be standing here as your governor today.”
The governor acknowledged that while some aspects of campus life have changed since her student days, many current Spartans likely share similar experiences. She emphasized that differences in college experiences are also valuable and acceptable.
Whitmer’s appearance at MSU represents one of her final major public appearances as governor before her term concludes. The speech combined personal reflection with advice for graduates as both she and they prepare for new chapters in their lives.
