UMD’s Viral Leap: How ‘Kermencement’ Captured Hearts and Headlines

College Park, Md. – What began as a joyful surprise quickly became a national sensation. The University of Maryland’s 2025 commencement, featuring beloved Muppet Kermit the Frog, sparked a cultural moment dubbed “Kermencement,” earning unprecedented attention across media and social platforms while inspiring and delighting thousands of 2025 graduates and their families.

From Teasers to Standing Ovations

On March 26, UMD announced that Kermit the Frog would be its 2025 commencement speaker, driving interest and excitement from the campus community as well as major national media outlets, from Good Morning America and CBS Mornings to The Hill and USA Today. A series of teaser posts on UMD’s social media channels, culminating in a clever announcement video generated over a million impressions across platforms. The announcement hit news and radio stations with a reach of over 30 million within a week.

Unmatched Visibility

In the days surrounding UMD’s May 22 commencement ceremony, UMD’s Kermencement was featured or aired live by all of the “Big Four” major broadcasting networks (NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox)—along with PBS, CNN, MSNBC, NPR and more—reaching over 52 million viewers and listeners across nearly 4,000 broadcast mentions in a single week. Digital media coverage surpassed 31,600 articles post-ceremony, with major national outlets such as The New York Times, Associated Press, Rolling Stone, and The Guardian spotlighting Kermit's heartfelt and humorous message. 

Record-Shattering Social Media

Kermencement went viral across social media, earning over 7 billion impressions on Reddit alone and an additional 2.6 billion across other platforms. Content from media outlets and independent creators alike fueled astounding engagement. ABC’s TikTok of the speech garnered more than 1.6 million views, while influencer and creator clips racked up millions more—including one newly-minted alum’s tearful commencement experience with 818,400 and a viral “Rainbow Connection” moment with over 2.2 million.

The university’s own channels smashed engagement records, delivering more than 4 million impressions and 199,830 engagements. Footage of the ceremony became the most-viewed Instagram story in UMD history with 14,000 views, and a single photo of Kermit addressing the crowd topped all university posts with over 54,500 likes.

A Message That Resonated Worldwide

Following the ceremony, media attention continued to build. International outlets like the BBC, AFP, Daily Mail, and Australian Associated Press covered the address, while national headlines lauded Kermit's “Leap together” message and celebration of creativity, kindness and connection. The moment even drew satirical praise from The Onion and inspired commentary in outlets as varied as Salon, Inside Higher Ed, and CNBC.

A Cultural Moment to Remember

Kermit the Frog’s commencement appearance marked the storied amphibian’s second trip to campus during the 2024-25 academic year. In September 2024, he appeared at The Clarice in a sold-out engagement as part of UMD’s Arts for All program. Both Kermit’s appearance at The Clarice and as 2025 commencement speaker were made possible through close collaboration with The Muppet Studio and Disney.

Kermencement was more than a ceremony—it was a moment that captured the spirit of the Class of 2025 and celebrated UMD’s legacy with joy, humor and heart. That legacy includes— of course—Jim Henson, who while a UMD student created the puppet who would become Kermit the Frog from his mother’s coat and two halves of a ping pong ball. As his greatest creation and the world’s most famous amphibian says, “Keep believing. Keep pretending.”