By Oliver Mack and Katherine Schutzman

University of Maryland students are excited and confused about last week’s announcement that Kermit the Frog will address graduates at the 2025 commencement ceremony.

Kermit was first introduced by university alum Jim Henson in 1955 and is part of The Muppets, a musical ensemble of fictional characters. Matt Vogel, Kermit’s puppeteer since 2017, is expected to voice and perform the character at commencement, according to The Guardian.

“It’s very exciting,” senior physiology and neurobiology major Jonah Goldfarb said. “Kermit the Frog is a Maryland institution.”

Some students were intrigued by the announcement, while others debated the value of having a puppet address the graduating class.

Senior aerospace engineering major Nico Lussier said he grew up watching movies and television shows featuring Kermit. He expects the puppet may discuss graduates’ “journey in life” and “always having hope and looking forward and looking for the positive things.”

[Kermit the Frog announced as UMD’s 2025 commencement speaker]

“This is a character that’s been a part of my childhood,” Lussier said. “Hopefully it’ll be an uplifting message.”

Henson introduced Kermit when he was a student at this university and went on to create numerous characters featured in The Muppets and Sesame Street before his death in 1990.

Senior government and politics major Riley Lowther, who sometimes watched The Muppets Show with his parents, said he was surprised by the choice and a bit disappointed at first. His immediate reaction was that having a puppet as a commencement speaker is silly and pointless.

“As it’s gone on, I actually kind of think it’s fun because, you know, it’s unique,” Lowther said.

Sophomore information science major Guy Saltsman said while he would enjoy attending this year’s commencement ceremony to see Kermit in action, he would not be satisfied if he were the one graduating.

“It’s a bit too goofy,” Saltsman said. “Having someone that comes out of [this university] and doing something more influential with their life might be more beneficial because they’ll have a more creative speech.”

[Wes Moore to be UMD’s 2024 commencement speaker]

Senior Jack Collier recognized that some of his peers were disappointed by the announcement. People may have wanted a more traditional speaker as opposed to a puppet, he said.

But Collier thinks that Kermit’s address is a unique tribute to this university’s history and will be a memorable experience.

“I don’t think any other person will have a Muppet as their commencement speaker,” the finance and information systems major said.

Senior neuroscience major Abem Addis said he thinks Kermit will give a comedic commencement speech worth going to.

“I was debating even going to the main commencement, but now I feel like I should, just because I want to experience this,” Addis said. “It should be good.”

Students also speculated about the logistics of having a puppet speak on stage. Some anticipate that Kermit’s puppeteer will be hidden on stage.

Senior psychology and anthropology major Chiara Sforza said she thought the puppeteer would be hidden under a table or tarp, with Kermit sticking out on top.

“If I could actually see Kermit, the actual Muppet, speaking, and they do it right, I think it’s gonna be really great,” Collier said. “If it’s some video screen or AI thing on the screen, I think it’s gonna be terrible.”

The 2025 commencement ceremony will take place May 21 at 6 p.m in SECU Stadium.