Emily Ratajkowski Delivers Hunter College Commencement Address

Emily Ratajkowski had some inspiring words for CUNY Hunter College’s graduates on Thursday (January 19) in New York City.

The 31-year-old model delivered the winter commencement speech to over 2,000 students.

“We are thrilled that Emily Ratajkowski will share her insights with our graduates and their families and friends,” Hunter College President Jennifer J. Raab said in a statement. “Her ability to pivot from television to modeling to movies to best-selling author is a lesson all our graduates can learn from. She’s a Renaissance woman for our digital age.”

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“I never made it to my own college graduation,” Emily said in her speech. “I dropped out in the wake of the 2008 economic collapse, choosing the financial security I hoped modeling would bring over what I really wanted to do, which was to learn and to make things. I was terrified of being saddled with student loan debt.”

Emily ended her speech encouraging the graduates to value themselves and those who have supported them.

“If you can’t celebrate yourself, maybe do it for others — for the friends and family who greeted you after you returned home from a long day; who listened to you complain about your workload and your schedule; who encouraged you through stress and hopelessness,” Emily said to the graduates. “The people in your life who love you are a precious gift, treat them as such, enjoy them as such, and celebrate with them.”

“CONGRATULATIONS CLASS OF ‘23! 🎓 what an honor! thank you so much to President Raab and Hunter College for having me today.,” Emily said on Instagram.

Emily was recently spotted at a New York Knicks game with Eli Bronfman, the grandson of Edgar Bronfman Sr., who was the CEO of the Seagram liquor company.