Commencement Student Speaker
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, November 8
- Notify Students By: TBD
- Final Speech Due: TBD
- Rehearsal at Holt: TBD
Application Process
Please submit the following:
Rough Draft of Speech
- Approximately 400-500 words
- More information at Speech Guidelines
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.
Deadline for applications: Friday, November 8
Note: if any of these items are missing, your application will be disqualified. All items must be present to be considered.
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