Kermit the Frog has hopped onto the stage at the University of Maryland to deliver a message of unity and collaboration to the graduating class of 2025.
The iconic Muppet, known for his sometimes cynical but ultimately hopeful outlook, encouraged graduates to navigate the uncertainties of the “real world” by working together.
“Here’s a little advice, if you’re willing to listen to a frog,” Kermit said.
“Rather than jumping over someone to get what you want, consider reaching out your hand and taking the leap side by side, because life is better when we leap together.”
His words were apropos for the graduating class, many of whom are entering a job market marked by economic instability and facing a future shaped by ongoing political change.
Kermit’s appearance at the University of Maryland also held a special significance.
Jim Henson, the creative mind behind the Muppets and Kermit himself, enrolled in the university in 1951 as a studio arts major.
As a freshman, he took a newly created puppetry class, where he met his future wife Jane Nebel.
He graduated in 1960 with a degree in home economics.
Henson first crafted Kermit from his mother’s coat and a bisected ping-pong ball and the now-famous frog was introduced on TV screens in 1955.
A bronze statue of Kermit and Henson, who died in 1990, sitting on a bench is a well-known feature of the College Park campus.
In a video announcing the speaker pick, Kermit was described as an environmental advocate, a bestselling author, an international superstar and a champion of creativity, kindness and believing in the impossible.
His speaker biography calls him “a star of stage, screen and swamp” whose mission is to “sing and dance and make people happy.”
“I am thrilled that our graduates and their families will experience the optimism and insight of the world-renowned Kermit the Frog at such a meaningful time in their lives,” university President Darryll J. Pines said in a statement.
Additional reporting from AP
