We want Shia LaBeouf to speak at commencement
Honestly, he should just do it
For the past 142 years, commencement speakers at Boston University have ranged from CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, TV personalities, presidents of various countries, and Pulitzer Prize winners.
That is, until the Class of 2016 proposed a very unique individual to be the 143rd commencement speaker—actor, director, and athletic trainer to Narcissists, Shia LaBeouf.
The idea was the brainchild of Perihan Tur, an Archaeology and International Relations double major (CAS/Pardee) currently in the class of 2016.
She said: “I have a friend at Harvard who invited me to join the group they started to get John Oliver to speak at their commencement. It got me thinking about who I would like to see speak at my graduation – Shia was the first one to pop into my head.”
She created a Facebook page in support of the idea as well as a petition.
The Facebook page
Like many college students today, Tur watched LaBeouf growing up.
She said: “That’s what makes him so relevant to us
“Shia started innocent in Even Stevens, then grew up in roles like Indiana Jones and Transformers, and now is a sarcastic and cynical twenty something like all of us.”
Unlike these previous speakers, LaBeouf is in the same generation as the Class of 2016. He’s relevant in our lives as someone who’s already been grossly successful, and most, if not all of the students can recognize him as the face of Holes, or the motivational speaker who pushed us all to “JUST DO IT,” or the spectacular sensual dancer in Sia’s Elastic Heart music video.
“I think Shia would be unique.
“He’s not someone who normally gives some version of the same speech each year. I would be really interested in what he would have to say. I think we would also care more about him as a speaker (as you can judge by the following) as opposed to someone who isn’t relevant to us.”
Perihan Tur (CAS/Pardee’16), genius behind the Facebook page
The page was created September 14th and boasted 1,000 likes within an hour of being created. As of September 29th, the Facebook page gathered nearly 5,000 likes and shows no signs of stopping.
“I thought people would take to it. But 1k in 1 hour was much faster than I thought. It’s actually kind of crazy: the Internet is scary. I think the success came in everyone joining in. My friend, Karolina [Kenney] (CAS’16), came up with the hashtag (#LaBUf2016), Sophie [Turk] (COM’17) made a bunch of images, and people were active in posting and sharing it.”
“Almost 100 members are my personal Facebook friends which is great because it means 4,900 are people I have never met, which speaks to the scope.”
Image created by Sophie Turk (COM’17)
“I am part of the Class of 2016 so come 2017 graduation I’ll be off in the real world and will hopefully have important, real life adult things to do. So I don’t see me trying to start it again. But if we can’t get him, I support someone in the Class of 2017 starting a second movement.”
“I’m happy to say I have only gotten positive feedback personally. Everything from people being very passionate about it on a deep level, to people thinking it’s a brilliant joke. I’m just happy I made something that people can feel positively about, no matter what the level.”
Collin Erickson (QSB’16) was unsure if the page was a joke or not, but would be thrilled if LaBeouf came to speak.
He said: “He’s hilarious. I think it’s admirable that he’s come all the way from Disney Channel and now he’s so successful in his work. I also just love his antics.”
Scenes from LaBeouf’s Just Do It video
Perihan has contacted BU through social media and received no response.
She added: “I know someone who works in Dean Elmore’s office and she says that he is aware of the campaign but wouldn’t comment on his stance.”