This spring, University of Maryland graduates won’t just be turning their tassels — they’ll be sharing the stage with a talking frog. Yes, you read that right.
The campus is buzzing after officials revealed that Kermit the Frog, the felt-faced philosopher of “Sesame Street” fame, will deliver this year’s commencement address. Move over, stuffy dignitaries; there’s a Muppet in the spotlight. The university teased the announcement with a video hinting at an “international superstar” and “friend to all creatures,” leaving students guessing until Kermit himself popped onscreen. “Uh, I guess it’s me,” the amphibian icon said with trademark humility.
Kermit The Frog in Spicewood, Texas. Photo by Getty
The big reveal capped off a social media campaign that temporarily turned UMD’s profiles green, sparking wild speculation (sorry, Charli XCX fans). “Nothing could make these feet happier than to speak at the University of Maryland,” Kermit said in a statement. “I just know the class of 2025 is going to leap into the world and make it a better place, so if a few encouraging words from a frog can help, then I’ll be there!”
The choice honors UMD alum Jim Henson, who stitched together the original Kermit puppet using his mother’s coat, blue jeans, and ping-pong ball halves for eyes. Today, a bronze statue of Henson and his green creation greets students outside the campus union — a fitting tribute to the visionary who proved that even a frog can be a role model. UMD President Darryll J. Pines gushed about the guest speaker’s credentials. “Our pride in Jim Henson knows no bounds, and it is an honor to welcome Kermit the Frog to our campus,” Pines said.
I sincerely thank The Muppets Studio, Disney and their creative teams for making this possible.”
This isn’t Kermit’s first graduation rodeo. Decades ago, he doled out advice — and dad jokes — to another class of wide-eyed graduates. “May success and a smile always be yours, even when you’re knee-deep in the sticky muck of life,” he told attendees at a past ceremony, where he received an honorary doctorate in “amphibious letters.” Back then, he quipped that students should feel “just a little bit silly” taking wisdom from a puppet, adding, “As we say in the wetlands, ‘Ribbit-ribbit-knee-deep-ribbit.’”
The Jim Henson Memorial at the University of Maryland. Photo by Getty
Voiced by puppeteer Matt Vogel since 2017, Kermit remains as spry as ever. Vogel recently brought him to UMD’s arts center for a sold-out fall event, where the frog urged audiences to embrace their quirks. “As long as you follow your dreams, it’s okay to be different or have different ideas,” he croaked.
Between his environmental advocacy, Peabody Award, and side gig as a “Sesame Street” reporter, Kermit’s résumé rivals any human speaker’s. Yet he’s stayed refreshingly down-to-earth. After all, how many commencement stars can say they’ve been stitched together from a ping-pong ball and mom’s old coat?
Sources: People | Washington Post
