IU Bloomington seeks student speaker for May 9 commencement
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education is seeking nominations and applications for a student speaker for the May 9 undergraduate commencement ceremony at Indiana University Bloomington.
Applications and nominations for the student speaker are being accepted until 5 p.m. Friday, March 13.
A selection committee with representation from the faculty, staff and student body will review applications, interview a number of candidates and determine the finalist in April.
Any student who is graduating in May 2015 or summer 2015, or who graduated in December 2014, and has a cumulative grade-point average of at least 3.5 may apply. In addition to a strong academic record, applicants should have strong written and verbal communication skills, a history of participation in campus or community activities and a unique story to tell.
The selected student will speak for three to five minutes, addressing the approximately 34,000 graduates, family members and guests expected to attend the ceremony. The student will receive guidance and support with developing and editing his or her speech.
To apply, graduating seniors must complete an application form available on the Office of the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education's website. Along with the completed form, applicants must submit an essay, letters of recommendation, a resume, a transcript and an outline of the speech they intend to deliver. Faculty, staff and students may email nominations to studentspeaker2015@oncourse.iu.edu.
In the early years of Indiana University, every graduating student made a speech as part of commencement exercises that lasted several days. The practice was discontinued, but student speeches were reinstituted in 2010. In 2014, Chris Kauffman and Parker Mantell were selected to speak at two separate undergraduate commencement ceremonies. This year, a single ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. at Memorial Stadium, 1001 E. 17th St. in Bloomington.
For more information about the selection of student commencement speakers, contact Christy Moore at cmgallag@indiana.edu or 812-855-8783.
Related Links
Chris Kauffman, a Kelley School of Business alumnus, was a spring 2014 commencement speaker.
Media Contacts
Jennifer Piurek
- Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President
- Office 812-856-4886
- jpiurek@iu.edu