Updated May 9, 2018

2018 sets record for female graduation speakers

Axios

Sheryl Sandberg. — Sheryl Sandberg delivering Senior Class Day address at Harvard. Photo: Rick Friedman/Corbis via Getty Images

"For the first time in at least two decades, the majority of the nation’s top colleges are featuring women as their spring commencement speakers," AP's Collin Binkley reports.

By the numbers: "[W]omen account for nearly 60 percent of the speakers at the 25 schools that have the largest endowments and traditionally carry the clout to draw big names to the lectern.

"By contrast, women made up just a quarter of the speakers at those schools over the previous 19 years."
"Yale is bringing Hillary Clinton. MIT will host Sheryl Sandberg. Vanderbilt landed Amal Clooney, while Dartmouth chose Mindy Kaling."
"Companies that are hired to find speakers say they’ve seen a surge in requests for women [amid] the #MeToo movement."
"Demand has grown so quickly that some say they’re struggling to keep up."

Why it matters: Duh!

What we're watching ... In "The Revolt," at 10 tonight on National Geographic, Katie Couric goes inside the #metoo moment as part of her "America Inside Out" series, and discovers how gender inequality, unconscious bias and sexual harassment are linked. (See clips).

Add Axios on Google

2018 sets record for female graduation speakers

What to read next