He lived with the fact that he would die from rare pancreatic cancer within three to six months. Jobs said the address was the closest he’d been to college graduation and told three stories that linked the dots of his life and could serve as a reference for others. Three months after his death, he delivered the address and shared what he’d learned about living. Pausch was a Carnegie Mellon professor who had delivered The Last Lecture months before he was diagnosed with fast-moving pancreatic cancer; how it was Jobs recalling his experience of being diagnosed with cancer that stood out. Then, Jobs chronicled being fired from the company he’d founded, and the humiliating and painful separation had led to bigger things, including NeXT which Apple later purchased due to its proprietary technology.
He explained why he decided to leave college and how it sparked an interest in learning that ultimately led to the creation of Apple computers. The well-received speech was the foundation of Ten Things I Wish I’d Learned Before I went out into the Real World, a book that quickly became a success in the current graduation category. After Wallace’s suicide in 2008, a portion of his speech was turned into a short film published in full as an ebook. Wallace’s address was so controversial that it went viral. Vice President Al Gore was surprised to address how Randy Pausch stole the show. Pausch’s commencement rub ratings address, based on The Last Lecture, was a celebration of his love and dedication to Carnegie Mellon.
Former U.S. President Barack Obama was the keynote speaker at Carnegie Mellon University’s 2008 commencement ceremony. In 2012, Shriver followed up with another powerful commencement speech, The Power of the Pause. Shriver spoke at the University of Southern California to mark her daughter’s graduation. He asked graduates to pause before making any decision or judgment. He urged students to be respectful to their peers, to develop friendships with the people they most value, and to pursue their passions. A biopsy later revealed that the rarer cancer could be surgically removed. Le Guennec was Picasso’s longtime electrician, and he disclosed his collection to Picasso’s son Claude in November to ensure that the works were authenticated.