Star-Studded Her Campus I'm Still Graduating Virtual Graduation

Today, Her Campus, the number one media brand for college women with over 400 campus chapters, presented its first-ever "I'm Still Graduating" virtual graduation ceremony with a star-studded line-up of today's most inspiring entertainers, musicians, politicians and entrepreneurs, to celebrate and commemorate and uplift the Class of 2020. The event was broadcast digitally on ImStillGraduating.com. Thousands of student graduates from over 800+ schools across the country tuned in!

Talent commencement participants included: Alisyn Camerota, Andrew Yang, Billie Jean King, Brooke Baldwin, Eva Longoria Baston, Faouzia, Frankie J. Grande, Hailie Sahar, Isabela Merced, Jack Gilinsky, Kealia Ohai Watt, Laura Marano, Lauren Akins, Lennon Stella, Liam Payne, Logan Browning, Marcia Gay Harden, Margaret Cho, Nabela Noor, Natalya Neidhart, Nico Tortorella, Stephen Christopher Anthony, Tamron Hall, Teyana Taylor, The Jonas Brothers, Tyson Beckford.

Musical performances by: Alec Benjamin, Austin Mahone, Brynn Elliott, Drax Project, Grouplove, Isabela Merced, Jack Gilinsky, Jesse McCartney, Kylie Morgan, Laura Marano, Liam Payne and Stephen Christopher Anthony.

Commencement participants from the business, fashion, media and non-profit sector included: Alex Keith (CEO of P&G Beauty), Alexa von Tobel (Founder & Managing Partner of Inspired Capital), Alison Malmon (Founder & Executive Director of Active Minds), Alli Webb (Founder of Drybar), Amani Al-Khatahtbeh (Congressional Candidate, Author & Founder of MuslimGirl.com), Cecile Richards (Co-Founder of Supermajority), Claire Babineaux-Fontenot (CEO of Feeding America), Elizabeth Sutton (Artist), Hunter McGrady (Model, Activist & Fashion Designer), Jennifer Sirangelo (President & CEO of National 4-H Council), Jeremy Zucker (Musician), Jodi Kantor (Investigative Reporter, The New York Times), John Kasich (Former Governor of Ohio), Karissa Bodnar (Founder & CEO of Thrive Causemetics), Kenneth Cole (Founder & CEO of Kenneth Cole and Founder & Chairman of The Mental Health Coalition), Kylie Morgan (Artist), Lindsey Roy (Chief Marketing Officer, Hallmark), Michelle McQuality Kelly (CEO of Lilly Pulitzer), Nastia Liukin (Olympic Gold Medalist & Entrepreneur), Radhika Jones (Editor-in-Chief, Vanity Fair), Rebecca Minkoff (Creative Director, Rebecca Minkoff & Co-Founder, Female Founder Collective), Sallie Krawcheck (CEO & Co-founder, Ellevest), Stacey Bendet (CEO & Creative Director, Alice + Olivia), Teresa C. Younger (President & CEO of the Ms. Foundation for Women) and Whitney Wolfe Herd (CEO & Founder of Bumble and CEO of MagicLab).

Highlights from the six-hour ceremony included Her Campus Media co-founders and Harvard alumni, Windsor Hanger Western, Stephanie Kaplan Lewis and Annie Wang kicked off the ceremony with an address to the Class of 2020, setting the stage and teasing what is to come during the six-hour, live streamed ceremony, "I'm Still Graduating."

Former Democratic Presidential nominee, Andrew Yang, addressed the Class of 2020 lending words of encouragement and the untapped potential of their generation and specifically, women in leadership stating, "To me, women are the greatest untapped source in our society today."

Recent COVID-19 survivor, CNN's Brooke Baldwin, spoke about how girlfriends are so important and reminded graduates the importance of taking care of each other. She said, "What is most fulfilling in my life? Good girlfriends...you can't take them for granted, you need to be intentional about it. You take care of your friends as much as you care about yourself and career."

Singer Jesse McCartney encouraged the Class of 2020 to follow their passions and performed his latest single, "Yours."

Actress and activist, Eva Longoria told a childhood story about learning to be yourself, as a child who had a different kind of breakfast in comparison to her classmates who enjoyed Pop-Tarts while her mother packed her bean tacos for breakfast. Longoria stated, "You go and share your culture and never forget where you came from. Follow the path that feels right to you. While not being afraid of taking a left turn once in a while, be who you want to be and fight for what you believe in."...."Congratulations to you, the class of 2020, when I think of all of you and the journeys that lie ahead of you, I challenge you to stay true to the bean taco and don't conform to the Pop-Tart."

A Boston based ER doctor at the frontlines of COVID-19 sent a message to medical and nursing students who have aided in the crisis. "You have chosen a career where altruism and selflessness are essential. I'm sure you never expected having to exemplify them so often, so relentlessly, and so early on your journey. More than ever, we need your fresh ideas, your idealism and your embittered spirit. We are grateful for you and as you take your first steps into your new world know that we, your colleagues, your families and your friends are incredibly proud of you.

Tennis icon and activist, Billie Jean King, eloquently addressed graduating seniors and encouraged everyone to, "be receptive to those who don't look like you or sound like you, these people will challenge you, inspire you and make you stronger and better. And finally, don't let anyone define you, you define yourself."

Journalist and TV host Tamron Hall, directly addressed the Class of 2020 to get out there and make waves in the world. Hall stated, "this is a call to action that I believe, ensures that the future is going to be so bright because of you."

*SURPRISE* The Jonas Brothers congratulated the newest class of college graduates. Kevin Jonas, Nick Jonas and Joe Jonas filmed the surprise video in their respective homes. At the end of their speech, Joe Jonas and wife, newly announced expecting mom-to-be, Sophie Turner, jumped in and shouted, "Here we are virtually graduating, we will always remember this one, well done ladies! We don't have college degrees so we are really impressed with you!"

Madera School '20 graduate and Harvard '20 freshman, Tarina Ahuja addressed the graduating class with confidence and optimism, reiterating the generation's resilience. She stated, "We were [the class] born when 9/11 shook the world. Now we are graduating as COVD-19 shakes the world once again. We know how to take challenges, work a little magic and come out with something even more beautiful."

Drybar founder, Alli Webb signed off with some advice for aspiring women entrepreneurs with, "If you treat people well and work your a*s off, anything is possible".

Nobody expected author, actor and activist, Nico Tortorella, to start off his speech with, "I got arrested at my graduation....yup." The unconventional graduation speech detailed his high school graduation which ended with his newly appointed EMT cousin administering a breathalyzer test.

Singer and former member of One Direction, Liam Payne, performed his single, "Midnight." After the song, Payne shared the advice for the Class of 2020. "The biggest advice I can give you guys is when I was in One Direction, I kinda felt like the world ran away from me a bit... I suppose the best thing I could say at a time like this is just remember you are, without realizing it, you're writing your LIFE STORY every single day and as long as you remember that and take caution in all your choices that will make you take implied risks and better yourselves," he stated.

Social media and TV personality, Frankie J. Grande, provided advice on living in the moment and to not let anyone judge you. The BIG BROTHER contestant stated, "Live in the present, live in this moment; past, living there-- that's depression. The future, living there-- that's anxiety. Don't do that. Staying the present moment and know you are on the only path, it's your path and go live it. Go live your life honeyyyy!!"

Stephen Christopher Anthony star of Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen sang the iconic song "For Forever" with a special introduction by the show's award-winning creative team Benj Pasek, Justin Paul and Steven Levenson.

Former Ohio Governor, John Kasich wanted to make sure the graduates knew that they were made special. "Nobody has ever been like you before and nobody will ever be like you again. You see, you have a special gift and when we put our gifts together we are all a part of one big mosaic. But if you never find your gifts and you don't use it, the mosaic is incomplete. You see, you're made to do special things, just dig down, think about, check your heart and you'll find exactly what it is you're supposed to do," he said.

Northern Illinois graduate, Lisa Lilianstrom, told her inspiring story of overcoming adversity and finding her voice. Being a young woman with autism, she gave words of encouragement to those struggling with a disability. "We are breaking the stigma, we are destroying stereotypes every single day... and I know, I'm not good at eye contact, I might have some sensory issues, I might be sensitive to loud noises but that does not stop me from achieving my goals. I'm not going to let a little stigma, discrimination and sterotypes stop me either. And it shouldn't stop y'all either. We are the future and we are changing things every single day," she said.

Trailblazing entrepreneur and Bumble founder, Whitney Wolfe Herd, offered career advice stating, "If you go find the things you dislike in the world and you identify issues that we all face, you can build a profound solution around that and that will give you a foundation of an incredible career and opportunity to have impact in the world."

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