How is the Student Commencement Speaker chosen?

The Student Commencement Speaker is a graduate or undergraduate student who will deliver a 3–5-minute speech to all those in attendance at their Commencement Ceremony.   

A call for the Student Commencement Speaker for each ceremony has been posted here, and auditions are held in April, with selection soon thereafter. Speaker candidates will audition in front of a group of peers and administrators. In-person auditions are highly recommended, although we will consider Zoom auditions for those candidates who cannot attend in-person. The selected speaker will speak in-person at their ceremony. 

Additional Information: The Student Commencement Speaker is required to participate in pre-Commencement rehearsal and will be seated on the stage during their Commencement. It is recommended that speech auditions have a theme that is broadly relevant and meaningful to their class. Applicants must have excellent written and oral communication skills.