Jim Henson didn’t set out to become a famous puppeteer or create characters beloved by children—and adults—worldwide. He made puppets simply because he wanted to work in television.

This year, school officials decided to honor one of their own, Jim Henson, by asking Kermit the Frog to be the 2025 UMD commencement speaker. Henson, who created Kermit and The Muppets ...