Former Disney star Hilary Duff talks authenticity at Northeastern commencement

Singer Hilary Duff made dreams come true for Northeastern University’s newest graduates at Fenway Park Wednesday evening, delivering a commencement speech that revisited her career as a former Disney Channel star and stressed the importance of being one’s authentic self.

“For me, a wonderful part of giving yourself that space is you can look back and see the distance you’ve traveled,” Duff told the graduates of Northeastern’s Class of 2026. “Don’t forget to pause and appreciate how far you’ve come, what you’ve overcome, and then you can look forward and see all that’s yet to come.”

Duff, former child star of Disney’s “Lizzie McGuire” and the more recent “How I Met Your Father,” beamed at the huge crowd of graduates, with some envy, she said.

“My formal education ended around third grade, so I never got to pass a note. I didn’t have a locker. I never wore one of these bad boys in real life,” she said, referring to the cap and gown. “I am genuinely still figuring it out myself every single day. But in a way, it kind of makes sense, because at Northeastern University, you believe experience isn’t a substitute for education. It is the education.”

Speakers at the ceremony, including Northeastern University President Joseph Aoun, referenced Duff’s newest album.

“Hilary Duff’s new album is titled ‘luck… or something,’” Aoun said. “You need both. That something is in your hand. It is your engagement and action.”

Duff was introduced by graduate Amelia Brooks, who called her career “a collection of some of the coolest co-ops you could ever dream of,” referencing the singer’s hit “What Dreams Are Made Of.”

“It’s that experience that brings her here today, artist, creator, global pop icon, call it talent, call it vision, call it luck or something else,” Brooks said, referring to Duff’s newest album. “In a world that is constantly changing, she has remained unmistakably herself.”

The singer-songwriter, working since she was a child, spoke of directing her energy to projects she actually felt drawn to. 

“I made the space in my brain to think about what felt authentic, what would add value to my world and to our world,” Duff said. “You are the architect of your own happiness, and you get to decide what belongs in your life, because we only get one.”

Aoun presented Duff with a citation, which he joked he’d like to see hung in her home when he visits. Multiple students, including Northeastern’s award-winning a capella group, dancers, and cheerleaders, put on a huge pop performance, which included a rendition of “What Dreams Are Made Of.”

Duff, taking out her phone to film, took a photo with the singers as they performed. She will be back at the Xfinity Center in Mansfield this summer as part of her latest tour.

“Graduating, no matter what stage of life you’re in, isn’t about having everything figured out,” Duff said. “It’s about standing at the edge of something new and choosing what comes next.”

Molly Farrar is a general assignment reporter for Boston.com, focusing on education, politics, crime, and more.