Part of complete coverage on  updated 10:37 AM EDT, Wed June 11, 2014  Giving grads wisdom: Shonda Rhimes  (CNN) -- It's that time of year when colleges around the country announce the people who will offer the last lesson to soon-to-be graduates: the commencement speakers.  This year, some universities are drawing on famous alumni: The University of New Hampshire featured 1992 New Hampshire graduate Jennifer Lee, the Oscar-winning screenwriter and director of Disney's hit film "Frozen." Shonda Rhimes, creator of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Scandal," told graduates of her alma mater, Dartmouth College, that it's impossible to do it all, but it's still worth doing as much as they can.  "Volunteer some hours. Focus on something outside yourself. Devote a slice of your energies towards making the world suck less every week," Rhimes said. "Some people suggest doing this will increase your sense of well-being. Some say it's good karma. I say that it will allow you to remember that, whether you are a legacy or the first in your family to go to college, the air you are breathing right now is rare air. Appreciate it."  Other schools competed for high-profile speakers like President Barack Obama, who will speak at University of California-Irvine, and first lady Michelle Obama, who spoke at Dillard University in New Orleans, as well as a high school senior recognition ceremony in Topeka, Kansas, and a college access program in Washington.  Regardless of the school, expect some tough talk, quotable wisdom and a few zingers.  "Nobody cares how tough your upbringing was," President Obama told graduates of Morehouse College in Atlanta in 2013. "Nobody cares if you suffered some discrimination. And moreover, you have to remember that whatever you've gone through, it pales in comparison to the hardships previous generations endured -- and they overcame them. And if they overcame them, you can overcome them, too,"  The gallery above shows some high-profile commencement speakers that grads are hearing from this spring.  Who was your graduation speaker? Share your memories in the comments, on Twitter @CNNschools or on CNN Living's Facebook page!
Barack Obama, Sean Combs, Bill Nye, Shonda Rhimes and Condoleezza Rice are among high profile speakers at college commencement ceremonies in 2014.