Student Speaker Guidelines
Spring Commencement
May 12, 2012

Essay Submission Deadline:
Monday, March 26, 2012

 Return submissions to:
Office of Student Affairs
Boyden Hall, Room 106                                   

 
QUALIFICATIONS
Each year a member of the undergraduate graduating class is chosen to represent their class as the student speaker at the Commencement Exercises.  Seniors who will graduate in May 2012 are invited to become candidates for this distinctive honor.
ESSAY REQUIREMENTS
The essay must be:
  1. typewritten,
  2. double-spaced on 8½ x 11 paper,
  3. approximately 5 minutes in delivery length, and
  4. include a cover page with name, address, telephone number, e-mail and date of graduation.
    * Do not include name or identifying information on the essay pages.
SELECTION PROCESS
  1. Finalists will be invited to present their essays as speeches to the committee.  If your speech is selected for final review, rehearse the speech very thoroughly and give careful attention to the techniques you will use for effective delivery. Your delivery, as well as content, will be considered in the final selection of a commencement speaker.
   2.    The essay will be evaluated by members of a committee comprised of the following:
  • College marshal
  • Assistant vice president of Student Affairs
  • A representative from the President's Office
  • A faculty member from Communication Studies
  • Special events coordinator for Student Affairs
  • Senior class president
  • Student trustee or designees
  1. The candidate selected will be required to meet with a staff member from institutional communications to further develop the written speech and a faculty member in communication studies to work on the delivery of the speech.
GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR SPEECH WRITING       
The message from a member of the graduating class traditionally falls before diplomas are presented. The following information is provided as guidance as you develop your speech. It is suggested that you review online copies of recent speeches written by former student speakers to evaluate how the following guidelines were used to develop effective speeches.
  1. Consider your audience: classmates, faculty, staff, family and friends.  Your speech should acknowledge those whose sacrifices and encouragement have helped you achieve your goals.
     
  2. Ask yourself - what do I want my audience, particularly my classmates, to feel at the end of my speech? Motivated? Inspired? Encouraged?
     
  3. Ask yourself - what do I NOT want my audience to feel at the end of my speech? Bored? Relieved? (Imagine yourself sitting in the audience listening to your speech.  What do you feel? If it's bored or relieved, go back to the drawing board. Revise and edit.)
    4. Use personal anecdotes and appropriate humor to motivate, encourage and inspire your audience.
       a.  Remind your audience of the joyous event they are celebrating - Commencement!
       b.  Remember that you are speaking to/for/with your classmates.
       c.  Consider using any one of the following suggestions to develop an inspirational thread to weave throughout your speech
                  • overcoming of a challenge-personal or academic
                  • achieving a goal
                  • leading by example
                  • making a difference
                  • using shared experiences as a springboard for future success
 

d. Remember-use personal experiences only as an inspiration to your classmates. The spotlight may seem to be on you, but your job is to use your   experience and refocus its beam on your classmates and, your shared celebration of having achieved your shared goal--commencement. An effective commencement speech reflects the sentiments of your classmates through your shared experiences.
   5. Avoid clichés. Make appropriate use of metaphor.

   6. Be original.

   7. Be brief. Be sincere. According to Whitman and Foster, a commencement speech generally addresses the following three topics:
        a. It offers congratulations
        b. It reviews accomplishments, and importantly,
        c. It issues a challenge. The word commencement denotes a beginning....What inspirational thoughts can you share which will assure that you and your
            classmates are prepared and ready to take up life's challenges as you take your place in society?
 
FINAL NOTE
Questions can be directed to Brian Salvaggio or Gael DeIuliis at the Office of Student Affairs, Boyden Hall 106, 508.531.1276. Please remember to return your qualifying essay by the deadline date - Monday, March 26, 2012 to the Office of Student Affairs, Boyden Hall 106. Speeches can also be sent electronically to gdeiuliis@bridgew.edu

Last Modified: June 28, 2011