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Commencement Student Speaker

Student speaker at commencement

Want to share your ROAR?

Apply to speak at commencement as a challenging and rewarding capstone to your college experience!

Eligibility

This opportunity is for you if you:

  • Are eligible for graduation
  • Are proud to be a Bengal!
  • Have a minimum 3.0 GPA
  • Are in good disciplinary standing
  • Are willing to participate in the Pocatello ceremony (You may attend classes at any ISU location)
  • Acknowledge the revision statement*

Dates and Deadlines

  • Application Closes: Friday, April 5
  • Notify Students By: TBD
  • Final Speech Due: TBD
  • Rehearsal at Holt: TBD
  • Commencement: Saturday, May 4

Application Process

Please submit the following:

Rough Draft of Speech

Applicant Video

  • Deliver an excerpt of your speech, around ~2 minutes or less
  • Goal: Demonstrate you are a competent, dynamic, and engaging speaker
  • Production quality will not be a determining factor. 

Faculty/Staff Recommendation

We are asking faculty and staff to fill out the following form in support of the student they are vouching for.

Recommendation Form

Deadline for applications: Friday, April 5

Note: if any of these items are missing, your application will be disqualified. All items must be present to be considered.

Apply

Guidelines

  • The address should be between 3-4 minutes (approximately 400-500 words)
  • Theme ideas:
    • Experiences that define what it means to be a Bengal
    • The transformative power of receiving an education at Idaho State
    • How Bengals are changing the world
  • No political or religious messages
  • Need help? Check out the speech by ISU grad John Lancaster from Spring 2022 and Heather Larsen from Winter 2021.

 

*Revision Acknowledgment

We value the unique voice and story of each individual Bengal here at Idaho State University. In order to ensure that our Commencement speakers are providing a relevant and inclusive message that all Bengal graduates can identify with, the Selection Committee will likely require extensive revisions to the speech. This is a normal part of the process. Selected speakers must be open to making changes to their speech based on feedback from the Selection Committee. Additionally, speakers must be available to attend a rehearsal the Friday before Commencement.

Note: The Selection Committee will include staff, faculty, and student representatives.

Questions? Email commencement@isu.edu or call 208-282-2966