Krebs was chosen to speak by a University committee that included University Marshal Richard Hunt and Plummer Professor of Christian Morals and Minister in the Memorial Church Peter J. Gomes. He acknowledges that with his appearance and beliefs he might be an unexpected choice to speak at fair Harvard's commencement. (" I did shave before I went," he says.)

Krebs is firm in his stance that he is not a member of a final club, is not a senior gift representative, although he was involved in choosing the gift co-chairs, and holds some iconoclastic views.

He recalls a story his father Eric Krebs likes to tell about the eighth grade graduation speech his son delivered: After Krebs' speech, another parent approached his father and asked, "Does he actually believe all that stuff?"

"And I said, 'Yes, every word,'" says Eric Krebs. "No doubt Justin will bring his liberal egalitarian orientation to his speech in some sort of way."

Justin Krebs says his performance and his message were probably key to his selection as speaker. He calls his speech "a little bit whimsical with a nod to our academic, intellectual, thoughtful surroundings."

"It's primarily concerned with how we accept one another," Krebs says.

Practice Makes Perfect

He is indeed a practiced commencement speaker, having addressed his class at both his eighth grade graduation, and his high school graduation from Princeton Country Day School in New Jersey.