Everything Burns: How Stanford reacted to this year’s commencement speaker

On Friday, Stanford announced documentary filmmaker Ken Burns as the 2016 Commencement ceremony speaker.

At first, the announcement barely generated buzz on campus – or even Facebook.

In fact, I only caught wind of the decision upon receiving this Snapchat from my friend and fellow senior Sam Crognale.

No, he doesn’t model. Yet

Over drinks later that night, I informed more friends about the announcement, only to be accused of believing one of those fake online posts, like the tweets that announced Jackie Chan was dead (he’s not, by the way).

Much to my friends’ surprise, the article was not a farce: it was very real. Documentary filmmaker Ken Burns would be speaking at our graduation in June.

While most students agree Ken Burns is a talented artist, many are disappointed with the school’s decision to feature him as the speaker for Stanford’s 125th Commencement ceremony.

Considering the list of powerful icons who have fulfilled the role in past years – Condaleeza Rice (2002), Steve Jobs (2005), Oprah Winfrey (2008), and Bill and Melinda Gates (2014), it’s safe to say we were expecting someone a tad more exciting.

Ken Burns has a younger brother who’s a less successful documentary filmmaker. Apparently they do not get along very well

OK, I was being polite. WAY more exciting.

“We literally got the least interesting speaker in the last decade,” says a senior Product Design major who declined to be named.

Stanford graduate Allison Otis (’14) fondly remembers her Commencement – at which Bill and Melinda Gates were chosen to speak – and gives credence to the significance of having a “big name” speaker shape the experience.

“I feel like the commencement speaker has the quality of a beauty pageant contest, in the sense that it’s an opportunity to show off your shiny trophy and no one really cares as much about the content or what he or she has to offer,” says Allison.

“It would be even cooler if the speech was more like, ‘How to be a Billionaire 101,’ instead of an interesting but less captivating story about how we can all change the world. But I could just be materialistic.”

This is not to say Ken Burns is untalented, or he doesn’t deserve the honor to speak at Stanford.

Abby Fanlo, a senior majoring in Political Science, believes while Burns is a remarkable artist and intellectual, he may garner less enthusiasm and excitement than past graduation speakers.

Fanlo has also watched the entirety of Ken Burns’ 11-hour Civil War film, a feat that arguably warrants as much praise and congratulation as participating in the war itself.

“Burns’ Civil War documentary is a testament to the power of documentary films to convey complex historical events in moving and interesting ways. That being said, he certainly does not have the same name recognition as past speakers, such as Bill and Melinda Gates, or Steve Jobs,” says Abby. “But I definitely don’t think being a household name equates with giving a successful graduation speech.”

While Abby and other students are open to the idea of the less-than-glamorous speaker, the general sentiment seems negative.

“I expect most Stanford students won’t know who Ken Burns is,” says senior and History major Claudia Wharton. “This campus has about as much culture as a Kardashian.”

Seniors Angel  Olvera and Sam Crognale volunteered suggestions for alternative speakers. Among these are comedian Margaret Cho, media powerhouse Ellen DeGeneres, and, of course, Nicki Minaj (who needs no introduction).

The jury is out on whether Stanford is open to accepting suggestions for alternative speakers, and whether Ms Minaj would be able to attend on such short notice.