Tom Hanks confirmed as graduation speaker at Yale
Tom Hanks has been confirmed as the 2011 Class Day speaker at Yale University. Can he outdo last year's speaker?
Tom Hanks stands on stage at the 83rd Academy Awards in Hollywood, California, Sunday. Hanks has been confirmed as the Class Day speaker at Yale University in May.
Gary Hershorn/Reuters
Actor Tom Hanks will speak to Yale University graduates this spring at the annual Class Day ceremony.
The Class Day speaker is a Yale tradition.
Graduation speakers typically don't speak at commencements. The major speech to seniors is instead given the previous day during Class Day festivities.
Yale spokesman Tom Conroy confirmed that students have invited Hanks and that he accepted.
Hanks has won Academy Awards for performances in the movies "Philadelphia," and "Forrest Gump," and also starred in "Apollo 13" and "Saving Private Ryan."
Former President Bill Clinton was the speaker last year. Class Day this year is May 22.