Please note corrected date for Commencement 2017: Saturday, May 20. We regret the error.

Three distinguished advocates for education access will receive honorary degrees and deliver remarks at Skidmore's graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 20.

Actor and media mogul Oprah Winfrey is also a philanthropist. Her Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls in South Africa is now 10 years old, and one of its alumnae will be among the Skidmore graduates at Commencement. In 2013 Winfrey was awarded the Medal of Freedom, America's highest civilian honor.

Ann Tisch is the founder and president of the Young Women's Leadership Network, and she also established the CollegeBound Initiative to provide college guidance especially in high-need public schools. More than 100 YWLN and CBI students have taken Skidmore precollege summer courses, and 46 are Skidmore alumni.

Best-selling author and youth advocate Wes Moore founded BridgeEdU to provide college freshmen with experiences and coaching for success. His provocative The Other Wes Moore was the first-year reading for Skidmore's Class of 2017, and he visited with them in their first year, so his return holds special meaning for the graduating seniors.

See more on the speakers here; full event information is at the Commencement website.

The Emmy and Grammy seasons keep Skidmore alumni busy. Among the entertainment industry up-and-comers is actor Zazie Beetz '13, a regular in the much-acclaimed TV series Atlanta. Musician Danny Pravder '16 has performed with Steve Martin and Edie Brickell and has appeared on NBC's Tonight Show playing piano with Kid Cudi. And Electric Lady Studios producer David Slitzky '14 (pictured) is fine-tuning the sound for the latest release by hip-hop phenoms the Roots. [read more]