At which university did J.K. Rowling deliver her famous 2008 commencement speech?

J.K. Rowling delivered her famous 2008 commencement speech at Harvard University.

Rowling spoke at Harvard’s 357th Commencement on 5 June 2008. Her address was titled “The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination.” She discussed lessons from personal setbacks and the moral importance of using imagination to understand people whose experiences differ from one’s own.

The speech became widely known beyond the ceremony and was later published as a small book under the same title. It is often remembered for its advice about failure, but the address also described Rowling’s early adult circumstances and her work with international human-rights concerns.

Harvard’s commencement speech should not be confused with Rowling’s later university lectures, interviews, or literary awards. The event was an honorary speaking appearance at an American university rather than a degree course or an academic appointment.