Since 1856, UW–Madison has welcomed distinguished leaders to address graduates. This list includes those who have delivered commencement speeches over the years.
| Year | Month | Speaker |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | May | Jason Gay ‘92 - sports and humor columnist for Wall Street Journal |
| 2024 | December | Dan Jacobs, Top Chef Season 21 Runner Up |
| 2024 | May | Meghan Duggan ‘11 Olympian and former Badger hockey player |
| 2023 | December | Michael Finley ‘14 former NBA player |
| 2023 | May | Eric H. Holder Jr. former United States Attorney General |
| 2022 | December | Charlie Berens, ’09 comedian and journalist |
| 2022 | May | Linda Thomas-Greenfield, ’75 United States Ambassador to the United Nation |
| 2021 | December | Manu Raju, '02 CNN’s chief congressional correspondent |
| 2020 | Class of 2020 Graduation Celebration held on September 18, 2021 | Pat Connaughton, NBA player for the Milwaukee Bucks |
| 2021 | May | Bachelor Ceremony - André De Shields, ‘70 actor, singer, dancer, director and choreographer Graduate Ceremony - Dr. John Gottman, ‘67 and ‘71 mathematician, professor and author |
| 2020 | December | Rose Lavelle - professional soccer player who has also played for the U.S. national team and former UW-Madison soccer player |
| 2020 | May | James Patterson - author and philanthropist |
| 2019 | December | Jason Gay ‘92 - sports and humor columnist for Wall Street Journal |
| 2019 | May | J.J. Watt - former UW-Madison football player and professional football player |
| 2018 | December | Commissioner Emeritus for MBL, Allan “Bud” Selig |
| 2018 | May | David Muir, journalist and ABC World News Tonight anchor |
| 2017 | December | Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsis, creators of the show Once Upon a Time |
| 2017 | May | Steve Levitan, co-creator and executive producer of Modern Family |
| 2016 | December | Captain James A. Lovell Jr., Astronaut |
| 2016 | May | Russell Wilson, former UW-Madison Quarterback, Seattle Seahawks Quarterback |
| 2015 | December | Zoë Timms, Founder, Women’s Education Project |
| 2015 | May | Katie Couric, journalist, Yahoo global anchor |
| 2014 | December | Benjamin Deutsch, vice president for corporate communications, The Coca-Cola Company |
| 2014 | May | Jon Huntsman, Jr., former Governor of Utah and Presidential candidate |
| 2013 | December | Donald Downs, Alexander Meiklejohn Professor of Political Science, Law, and Journalism at UW-Madison |
| 2013 | May | Anders Holm, comedy writer and actor |
| 2012 | December | Pat Richter, former UW-Madison athletic director |
| 2012 | May | Carol Bartz, former CEO, Yahoo! and Autodesk |
| 2011 | December | Jacob Wood, president and co-founder, Team Rubicon |
| 2011 | May | John P. Morgridge, emeritus CEO and chairman, Cisco Systems Tashia F. Morgridge, retired educator and author |
| 2010 | December | Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), U.S. House of Representatives |
| 2010 | May | Arne Duncan, U.S. secretary of education James Kass, founder and executive director, Youth Speaks |
| 2009 | December | Neil Willenson, CEO and founder, One Heartland |
| 2009 | May | Allan (Bud) Selig, commissioner of Major League Baseball |
| 2008 | December | Ben Schumaker, founder of the Memory Project |
| 2008 | May | Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson, Wisconsin Supreme Court Kay Koplovitz, chair and CEO, Koplovitz and Co.; founder, USA Network |
| 2007 | December | Scott Van Pelt, ESPN sports anchor |
| 2007 | May | André De Shields, award-winning actor, director and educator |
| 2006 | December | Benjamin Karlin, executive producer, The Daily Show and The Colbert Report |
| 2006 | May | Florence Chenoweth, executive director, UN Food and Agriculture Organization Odessa Piper, advocate for sustainable agriculture |
| 2005 | December | John Morgridge, chairman of Cisco Systems |
| 2005 | May | Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin |
| 2004 | December | Gaddi Vasquez, director, United States Peace Corps |
| 2004 | May | Bradley Whitford, Actor |
| 2003 | December | Chief Justice Shirley S. Abrahamson, Wisconsin Supreme Court |
| 2003 | May | Jerry Zucker, movie producer |
| 2002 | December | Jonathan Wolman, senior vice president, Associated Press |
| 2002 | May | Louis Holland, President/CEO Holland Capital Management (alumnus) Thomas Pyle, president of Pyle Group, former CEO of Rayovac (alumnus) |
| 2001 | December | Charles Trotter, chef, restaurateur, author, PBS television show |
| 2001 | May | Charlene Barshefsky, US/China trade ambassador under Clinton Admin (Sat.) George Schaller, environmentalist and honorary degree recipient (Sun am) Pratima Kale, humanitarian and honorary degree recipient (Sun pm) |
| 2000 | December | William Cronon, UW Madison Professor of History |
| 2000 | May | Uta Hagen, Honorary degree recipient, Saturday morning and afternoon Harvey K. Littleton, Honorary degree recipient, Sunday morning Ernest Micek, Honorary degree recipient, Sunday afternoon |
| 1999 | December | Shirley Abrahamson, chief justice, Wisconsin Supreme Court |
| 1999 | May | Nadine Strossen, Professor of Law and new York Law School and president of the ACLU (L&S Ceremonies) Elzie Higginbottom, President, CEO East Lake Development and Management, Chicago (Sun am ceremony) Jim Berbee, President, Berbee Information Networks, Sunday PM ceremony |
| 1998 | December | David Maraniss, author; writer for the Washington Post |
| 1998 | May | Greta Van Susteren, CNN Legal Correspondent (L&S) Gloria Ladson Billings, UW Madison, School of Educ Prof (Educ) David Walsh, Attorney, Foley & Lardner (Business) |
| 1997 | December | Doris Meissner, Commissioner, Immigration & Naturalization Service |
| 1997 | May | Rita Braver, CBS News Correspondent (L&S) Oscar Boldt, Chairman of the The Boldt Group (Engr) Martin F. Stein, Chairman of Stein Optical (Pharm) |
| 1996 | December | Stephen Ambrose, Visiting UW Prof History Dept, Prof U of New Orleans |
| 1996 | May | Brewster Shaw, astronaut, Director, Rockwell International (L&S) Jere Fluno, Vice President, Grainger, Inc. (Business) Colin Rees, World Bank (IES) |
| 1995 | December | Dean Virginia Hinshaw (Graduate School) |
| 1995 | May | John Paulos, Professor of Mathematics at Temple University (L&S) Alice McPherson, Clinical Professor of Ophthalmology, Baylor College of Medicine (Medical School) Jan VerHagen, President-CEO-Director of United Dominion Ind (Engr) |
| 1994 | December | No speaker |
| 1994 | May | Gro Brundtland, Prime Minister of Norway (L&S) Lawrence Eagleburger, former Secretary of State (L&S) David Wilhelm, chair, Democratic National Committee (L&S) C. Eugene Allen, vice president, University of Minnesota (CALS) Stephen Marcus, chair and CEO, Marcus CorporationTheatre (Business) |
| 1993 | December | Winston Brill (Grad School) |
| 1993 | May | Professor Harold Scheub (L&S) Richard Sauer, 4-H (FRCS) Carl Marschke (Engr) |
| 1992 | December | No speaker |
| 1992 | May | Jeff Greenfield, ABC News (L&S) Joy Caulkin, Vice President and Provost, University of Calgary (Nursing) Steven Bornstein, President and CEO of ESPN (Business) |
| 1991 | December | Professor Melvin Croan |
| 1991 | May | John Darnton, New York Times (L&S) James Crow, Emeritus Professor (Educ) Herbert Kohler, Alumni (Engr) |
| 1990 | December | Robert Kastenmeier |
| 1990 | May | No speaker |
| 1989 | December | David Ward |
| 1989 | May | Eleanor Holmes Norton |
| 1988 | December | Bernard Cohen |
| 1988 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1987 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1987 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1986 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1986 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1985 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1985 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1984 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1984 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1983 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1983 | May | Martha Peterson |
| 1982 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1982 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1981 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1981 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1980 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1980 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1979 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1979 | May | The Honorable Walter F. Mondale, Vice President of the United States |
| 1978 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1978 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1977 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1977 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1976 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1976 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1975 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1975 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1974 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1974 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1973 | December | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1973 | May | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1972 | January | President John C. Weaver |
| 1971 | June | Fred W. Friendly, Edward R. Murrow; professor of Broadcast Journalism, Columbia University |
| 1971 | January | President John C. Weaver |
| 1970 | June | Stewart L. Udall, Former Secretary of Interior |
| 1970 | January | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1969 | June | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1969 | January | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1968 | June | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1968 | January | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1967 | June | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1967 | January | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1966 | June | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1966 | January | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1965 | June | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1965 | January | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1964 | June | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1963 | June | President Fred Harvey Harrington |
| 1962 | June | President Conrad A. Elvehjem |
| 1961 | June | President Conrad A. Elvehjem |
| 1960 | June | President Conrad A. Elvehjem |
| 1959 | June | President Conrad A. Elvehjem |
| 1958 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1957 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1956 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1955 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1954 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1953 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1952 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1951 | June | President Edwin B. Fred |
| 1950 | June | President Edwin Broun Fred |
| 1949 | June | President Edwin Broun Fred |
| 1948 | June | President Edwin Broun Fred |
| 1947 | June | President Edwin Broun Fred |
| 1946 | June | President Edwin Broun Fred |
| 1945 | June | President Edwin Broun Fred |
| 1944 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1943 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1942 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1941 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1940 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1939 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1938 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1937 | June | President Clarence Addison Dykstra |
| 1936 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1935 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1934 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1933 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1932 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1931 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1930 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1929 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1928 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1927 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1926 | June | President Glenn Frank |
| 1925 | June | President Edward A. Birge |
| 1924 | June | President Edward A. Birge |
| 1923 | June | President Edward A. Birge |
| 1922 | June | President Edward A. Birge |
| 1921 | June | President Edward A. Birge |
| 1920 | June | President Edward A. Birge |
| 1919 | June | President Edward A. Birge |
| 1918 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1917 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1916 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1915 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1914 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1913 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1912 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1911 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1910 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1909 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1908 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1907 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1906 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1905 | June | President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1904 | June | Dr. Thomas C. Chamberlin (Former President of the University), Dr. William Peterson (Principal of McGill University), President Charles R. Van Hise |
| 1903 | June | Acting President Edward A. Birge |
| 1902 | June | Acting President Edward A. Birge |
| 1901 | June | Acting President Edward A. Birge |
| 1900 | June | President Charles Kendall Adams |
| 1899 | June | President Charles Kendall Adams |
| 1898 | June | President Charles Kendall Adams |
| 1897 | June | President Charles Kendall Adams |
| 1896 | June | President Charles Kendall Adams |
| 1895 | June | President Charles Kendall Adams |
| 1894 | June | President Charles Kendall Adams |
| 1893 | June | President Cyrus Northrop, LL. D., University of Minnesota |
| 1892 | June | Major J. W. Powell, Director of U.S. Geological Survey |
| 1891 | June | Daniel C. Gilman, President of John Hopkins University |
| 1890 | June | E.B. Andrews, President of Brown University |
| 1889 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1888 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1887 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1886 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1885 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1884 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1883 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1882 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1881 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1880 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1879 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1878 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1877 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1876 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1875 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1874 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1873 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1872 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1871 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1870 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1869 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1868 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1867 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1866 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1865 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1864 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1862 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1861 | June | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1860 | July | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1859 | July | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1858 | July | No Keynote Speaker |
| 1857 | July | "By the chancellor" |
| 1856 | July | "By the chancellor" |