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Dick Vermeil, Michael Bloomberg, Little Steven: The who’s who of 2017 college graduation speakers

There are the politicians, businesspeople, and entertainers. Then there are journalists, artists, philanthropists, professors, and coaches. And there is a contingent of activists and social justice writers and speakers.

Another commencement season — another round of tears, joy, and speeches — has arrived. The Inquirer surveyed colleges in the region to get a picture of the annual celebrations: Who's coming to town, when, and how many students are graduating? See the full list below.

As happens every year, many speakers seem to fit certain types, to provide inspiration and guidance.

Of course, there are the politicians, including Pennsylvania governor Tom Wolf, Camden mayor Dana L. Redd, U.S. Sen. for New Jersey Cory Booker, former New York City mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, former Delaware governor Jack Markell.

And there are the businesspeople and entrepreneurs: Prudential Financial CEO John R. Strangfeld, Cabrini Asset Management president Eustace Wolfington, CEO of financial services organization TIAA Roger W. Ferguson Jr., retired CEO of Aerospace Corp. Wanda Austin, Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard.

There are entertainers — Kal Penn, Steven Van Zandt — and journalists, artists, philanthropists, professors, coaches.

Amid this year's array of speakers and honorary degree recipients is a contingent of high-profile activists and social justice speakers and writers. Among this group are Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the prominent Americanah author and feminist; Lawrence Otis Graham, whose books on race, class, and education include Our Kinds of People: Inside America's Black Upper Class, which is being developed into a Netflix series; Marc H. Morial, president of the National Urban League and former mayor of New Orleans; Joan Semmel, the feminist artist whose painting for decades have focused on issues of the body; and Carla Hayden, the first woman and first African-American to serve as Librarian of Congress.

The first ceremonies begin Friday and run into June.