Elin Nordergren takes a snipe at Tiger Woods and the 'perfect storm' he made her deal with as she gives commencement speech

  • Tiger Woods' ex was given the Outstanding Senior Award and spoke at her Rollins College commencement ceremony on Saturday
  • Nordegren, 34, has been studying at the school to get her degree in psychology for the past nine years
  • Said how her studies helped her focus outside of the 'wild storm in my personal life'
  • Refrained from speaking out when her husband's cheating broke in 2009 leading to their 2010 divorce but made clear references during the speech
  • Joked that she should've taken better notes in her media and communications class right before the scandal

By Meghan Keneally

Published: 16:01 EST, 10 May 2014 | Updated: 09:15 EST, 11 May 2014


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Tiger Woods’ ex-wife Elin Nordegren has taken the uncharacteristic move of speaking out in public and talked about the hurdles in her personal life after being selected as the commencement speaker for her college graduation.

The Swedish model-turned-American citizen graduated with a degree in psychology from Rollins College in Florida after working through classes over the past nine years.

Nordegren, who is notoriously private and shied away from the media during the fallout of Woods’ cheating scandal and their ensuing divorce, talked about how her academic pursuits ‘offered me a place of peace in the wild storm of my personal life’.

Honored: Elin Nordegren was selected as the Hamilton Holt Outstanding Senior and gave the commencement speech at Rollins College on Saturday

Honored: Elin Nordegren was selected as the Hamilton Holt Outstanding Senior and gave the commencement speech at Rollins College on Saturday

The 34-year-old mother-of-two spoke about  the changes that have swirled around her during her pursuit of her degree.

She said that when she started studying as part of the school’s evening program, she ‘was married without children. Today nine years later, I'm a proud American with two beautiful children, but I am no longer married.’

‘Many of us, like myself, took a long time to graduate,’ she said.

‘If I can inspire even one mom to go back and get her degree with the message that it's never too late, then I am happy.

College graduate: Nordegren now has a degree in psychology from Rollins College

College graduate: Nordegren now has a degree in psychology from Rollins College

Turbulent times: Nordegren, now 34, talked about how she was married without kids when she started her degree nine years ago and now is divorced and has two children
Turbulent times: Nordegren, now 34, talked about how she was married without kids when she started her degree nine years ago and now is divorced and has two children

Turbulent times: Nordegren, now 34, talked about how she was married without kids when she started her degree nine years ago and now is divorced and has two children

‘When you told me stories about your full-time day jobs, about coming home to cook dinner for your families, and about making sure your children were cared for while you were attending classes, you inspired me.

Hints: There were several points in the speech where Nordegren referred to her widely-publicized split from Tiger Woods

Hints: There were several points in the speech where Nordegren referred to her widely-publicized split from Tiger Woods

‘Whatever obstacle I was facing at the time, your stories and sharing helped me put things in perspective.’

She went on to talk about how certain classes came at pivotal times in her personal life, like how she was enrolled in a class on developmental psychology when her now-5-year-old daughter Sam Alexis was born. Other classes, however, came at more chaotic times in her life.

‘It was right after I had taken communication in the media, I was unexpectedly thrust into the media limelight. I probably should have taken more notes in that class!’ she said in allusion to the cheating scandal that was exposed in late 2009 leading to her 2010 divorce from the golf superstar.

‘My psychology in law class helped me through one of the most challenging times of my life that involved legal matters.’

Nordegren was selected as the commencement speaker when she was awarded the school’s top honor of being named the Hamilton Holt Outstanding Senior.

Family support: Elin was flanked by her father and her children, daughter Sam and son Charlie, during the Saturday ceremony

Family support: Elin was flanked by her father and her children, daughter Sam and son Charlie, during the Saturday ceremony

Timely: Though she was not spotted at the ceremony, Elin paid tribute to her mother- a governor in her home country of Sweden- in honor of Mother's Day on Sunday

Timely: Though she was not spotted at the ceremony, Elin paid tribute to her mother- a governor in her home country of Sweden- in honor of Mother's Day on Sunday

Getting along: Nordegren (in the black hat and blue shirt) was recently seen at one of her children's games sitting alongside her ex and his new girlfriend Lindsey Vonn

Getting along: Nordegren (in the black hat and blue shirt) was recently seen at one of her children's games sitting alongside her ex and his new girlfriend Lindsey Vonn

She wrapped up her eloquent speech with a timely tribute to all of the mothers in the audience, saying that she drew inspiration from her own mother, Barbro Holmberg.

‘My mother waited to put her career in a higher gear so that she could be with me and my siblings when we were little. She showed me that it is possible to have a career later in life, and today she's a governor in Sweden,’ Elin said.

‘My hope is that today I am showing my children, Sam and Charlie- who is sleeping in his chair, that it is never too late to follow your dream.’

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she is stunning ..what was tiger thinking of ?

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Nice speech. Good for her.

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Lovely - truly inspiring!!

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She made the big mistake of marrying the wrong man. But she has got over it now and gone on to a better future. Tiger Woods must know by now the high value of what he has betrayed by not keeping his pants zipped.

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She didn't need a degree she already knew the rules of business : find a rich man, do the spread eagle, pop a few kids and cash big time.

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It is a shame people saying that a Psychology is an easy degree. How little brain people must have to say something like this? Shame on this kind of comment. I feel nothing but pity in this kind of people!

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To this day Tiger's spectacular fall from grace amazes me. He was really a monster behind all those fake endorsement smiles and the golf prodigy schtick. Glad to see his ex-wife thriving without him.

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She's not without his money, though.

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If she'd concentrated on her marriage instead her husband might not of strayed.

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What a vile comment. I pity the woman who ends up with you. Maybe Mr. Woods should have concentrated less on his golf game and more on his marriage.

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Wow, such an accomplishment for a woman worth over $100M with no job and full time staff to do her cleaning, shopping, child care and even your studying! *yawn*

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Stunning, classy woman--stupid, stupid man.

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