Congratulations to all the Michigan students who received that hard-earned degree after countless years in school, and are getting ready for the next phase of life. Also, congratulations to the graduates who had the honor of listening to New York Yankees shortstop and MLB Hall of Famer Derek Jeter speak at their graduation.
Jeter was the commencement speaker at graduation at the University of Michigan on Saturday and gave some very sound advice on how to get through life in the working world and find success.
The Kalamazoo native was once set to attend Michigan on a baseball scholarship, but after being drafted by the Yankees in the 1992 MLB Draft, he chose the big leagues over the college ranks and it was the best decision of his life.
Jeter was awarded an honorary degree from Michigan just before speaking to the crowd on Saturday in the Big House.
“You will always be a Michigan Wolverine. I challenge you to become champions of hope. Believe without a doubt that when given one sliver of a chance that your generation not just can, but will reimagine and reconstruct a better tomorrow for all of us.”
— University of Michigan (@UMich) May 3, 2025
👏 @DerekJeter #MGoGrad pic.twitter.com/Oy5vv3M1Sc
Everyone can learn a little something from Derek Jeter's commencement speech
Jeter's commencement speech was something that those graduates and everyone can take with them every day. Even though Jeter didn't go to college and was a professional baseball player, he is still just like everyone else in the world, just trying to figure life out one day at a time, but he makes one point that everyone should understand.
"Your life will ultimately be framed by the choices you make," Jeter said in his speech.
In other words, you have the power to make your life what you want it to be. Players can choose to sign with a school and just rest on their talent the entire time, or they can get with their coaches, get in the weight room, and train to become better in every aspect of their sport.
Jeter's speech works both for life and for sports, and every athlete can learn a thing or two from Jeter; he is a Hall of Famer after all.