CBS' Gayle King delivers University of Maryland's 2023 commencement address

BALTIMORE -- Journalist Gayle King, who is among the University of Maryland's most famous alumni, returned to her alma mater Monday to deliver the state school's 2023 commencement address.   

After graduating from UMD in 1976 with a degree in psychology, King started her storied broadcast career as a production assistant at WJZ, where she befriended evening anchor Oprah Winfrey. 

"When I went to the Preakness, so many people came up to me and said, 'Oh, I hear you're speaking at Maryland," King told WJZ. "I'm very nervous about it and it made me more nervous, including the freakin' governor, Gov. Wes Moore, and he said, 'I heard you're speaking,' and I went, 'Governor you're making it harder for me."

Before addressing thousands of Terrapins, King sat down to talk with WJZ.

"I feel such tremendous pressure," King said. "Why? Because you know what a big deal this is and what a big day this is for so many people and I just don't want to be the boring crusty speaker."

However, she told WJZ she was honored by her alma mater's invitation to deliver commencement wisdom to graduating seniors.

"I never in a million years would've thought that I would be in a position to give a graduation speech to any damn body, much less my own alma mater," King said.

Her message to students, families and faculty will be "real-world advice."

"The world is never kumbaya but it does seem to be more vitriolic and more means-spirited than I've ever seen it and that scares me but these guys can change that," King said.

While King's accolades and accomplishments are many, she recalls her past in order to inspire a present group of students 

But don't expect King's parting words of wisdom to be starry-eyed.

Instead, it's one of facing hardships.

"It's true, you get to conquer the world, your life now is really yours to design," King said. "And, you know what, it's not always going to go according to plan."

King hopes students listen with open ears and oozing pride for all the University of Maryland graduates and proved UMD is a talent pipeline of skilled graduates. 

King, 68, has been a co-anchor of CBS Mornings since 2011. She is also editor-at-large of Oprah Daily and hosts a weekly radio show titled "Gayle King in the House" on SiriusXM.

Time listed King among the most influential people in the world in 2019.  Over the course of her career she has won three Emmys, and was a 2018 inductee into the Broadcasting+Cable Hall of Fame.

"I'm so excited to return to my alma mater for this special occasion," King said in a statement in March. "Getting an education is a lifelong journey, and even though life's classrooms won't always be as nice as the ones on campus, I know that this place cultivates a love of learning and growing, just as it did for me. And if I'm lucky, I'll even get to go to Ledo's pizza while I'm there."

She did get to Ledo's, and had a pepperoni and honey pizza.