Rock News

Watch The Offspring's Dexter Holland deliver commencement address to graduating USC Dornsife students

Dexter Holland of The Offspring performs onstage at Utilita Arena Cardiff on November 10, 2025 in Cardiff, Wales. (Mike Lewis Photography/Redferns)

Talk about a pretty fly commencement speaker.

The Offspring frontman Dexter Holland delivered an address to graduating students during the 2026 commencement ceremony for the University of Southern California's Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences.

In his remarks, Holland spoke about his experience as a Triple Trojan, meaning he's received three degrees from USC: a bachelor's in biological sciences in 1988, a master's in molecular biology in 1990 and a Ph.D. in molecular biology in 2017. 

"I hope that throughout your life, you achieve things so cool and so legit that you, too, like me, stop and wonder whether this is really happening," Holland said. "Don't just choose a career, choose a life that's as messy and as brilliant as you are."

Holland previously delivered the commencement address for USC's Keck School of Medicine in 2022.

The Offspring, meanwhile, just announced a pair of concerts taking place in Quebec in August focused on the band's older material and deep cuts.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.


Weather Center

High School Scoreboard

Sports Scores

Facebook