Elin Nordegren is ready to roar! Tiger Woods‘ famous ex-wife took the stage this weekend for a 10-minute speech, speaking at her graduation from Rollins College in Winter Park, Fla. on Saturday, May 10.
Nordegren, 34, was named the 2014 Outstanding Graduating Senior by the Florida college, earning the chance to address the crowd and faculty at the commencement. The Swedish-born former model graduated from the university with a 3.96 grade-point average after working through the program over nine years.
“Yes, nine years is a pretty long time,” she joked during her talk.
While Nordegren focused on the inspiration she gleaned from her fellow students in the “educational community” and her work at the college, she acknowledged her notoriety from her ugly divorce from Woods, 38, following his epic cheating scandal back in late 2009.
“When I received the phone call informing me about the honor of speaking today, I felt really happy but I also was a little surprised because I’ve been called ‘a woman with no words’ in the media and criticized for not talking very much,” she said.
The mother to Sam Alexis, 6, and Charlie Axel, 5, also took the chance to make slight lighthearted dings at the pro golfer.
“When I entered my student advisor office in the fall of 2005, I was 25 years old, I had just recently moved to America, I was married without children,” Nordegren said, recognizing her growth.” Today, nine years later, I’m a proud American, and I have two beautiful children—but I’m no longer married.”
“It was right after I had taken [a class in] communications and the media that I was unexpectedly thrust into the media limelight,” she continued. “I probably should have taken more notes in that class!”
Though Nordegren and Woods split for good when their divorce was finalized in August 2010, the pair now seem to be on better terms. The recent graduate and her boyfriend Chris Cline get along well with Woods and his girlfriend Lindsey Vonn. The foursome recently went on a double date together, a source tells Us Weekly.
Watch Nordegren’s graduation speech above.
