Behind the Scenes of Kermit’s Commencement Address

University of Maryland graduates will hear from a speaker today who is small in size but big in pop culture, puppetry and songs about being green—Kermit the Frog.  

Kermit was invited to speak at commencement to honor Muppets creator Jim Henson, who earned his bachelor’s degree in home economics from UMD in 1960.  

The University of Maryland offered Inside Higher Ed a peek behind the podium as it prepares for Kermit’s speech to graduates and their families and friends.

The university has partnered with the Muppets Studio to bring the celebration to life, making staging adjustments to accommodate Kermit’s 13-inch frame, according to a university statement. The famous frog will don graduation regalia, the university shared, though it’s unclear whether he will be awarded an honorary degree from the institution.

Kermit’s speech, based on the life lessons he’s learned over the past 70 years, is performed by Matt Vogel, who has worked with Kermit for the past eight years.

“I kinda hope these graduates keep that sophisticated childlike sense of curiosity and imagination and innovation as they travel down their path,” Kermit told NBC News. Kermit also plans to encourage students to take a leap into new opportunities and make connections in the world.

This will be the Muppet character’s second-ever commencement address; in 1996, he spoke to students at Southampton College, where he was awarded an honorary doctorate of amphibious letters. He also participated in pre-commencement activities at Harvard University in 1982, during Henson’s daughter Lisa’s senior year at the university. Lisa and Jim co-wrote Kermit’s address, according to the Jim Henson Company.

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In 2003, Kermit was memorialized on the UMD campus alongside Henson in the form of a bronze statue perched on a red granite bench. Henson performed Kermit until his death in 1990.

“Kermit the Frog came from humble beginnings, crafted by Jim Henson from one of his mother’s coats and a ping-pong ball cut in half,” the university told Inside Higher Ed. “He has gone on to become one of the world’s most beloved and enduring cultural icons, and we look forward to sharing his message of optimism and believing in yourself with our graduates and their families.”