Oprah Gives Stanford Grads Summer Reading

Winfrey delivers commencement address to Stanford University graduates

By Gina Serpe Jun 16, 2008 3:35 PMTags

Everybody gets a degree! Everybody gets a degree!

Oprah Winfrey brought her inspirational den-mother rhetoric—and penchant for freebies—to Stanford University's Class of 2008 last night, addressing more than 4,000 students at the school's commencement ceremony.

"You've got the diplomas, now go out and get the lessons," she told the cap and gown wearers, before giving all the grads new cars a couple of inspirational books—Daniel Pink's A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future and Eckhart Tolle's A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose—to start them on their way.

Not that it was all touchy-feely, reach-for-your-dreams pronouncements.

"Money is pretty nice," she said. "I like money. It's good for buying things."

Check out Winfrey's complete 29-minute speech below.