Speakers

Lewis & Clark Graduate School will solicit nominations from the graduate school community for the student commencement speaker. Students eligible to participate in the June commencement ceremony may self-nominate or they may be nominated by their peers or by graduate school faculty or staff. (Contact the Graduate Registrar’s office with questions about degree candidacy and eligibility to participate in the commencement ceremony.)

Once nominated, the student provides a draft of their 3-minute commencement speech reflecting the graduate school’s vision and mission and with a message that speaks to the experience of students from all programs. A reading committee representative of the graduate school community will select finalists to move forward in the process.

Finalists will present their draft speeches virtually before a panel composed of representatives from the graduate school community (3-minutes in length). Following presentations, the panel will select a speaker based on the following three criteria:

• Recognized as an outstanding student, both in the classroom and in the larger community.
• Exemplary representative of the graduate student body.
• Excellent speaking ability with a well-thought-out speech which reflects the graduate school’s vision and mission and encompasses all academic programs from which graduates will be represented.

Timeline:

• Nominations due by Friday, January 21, 2022.
  
• During the week of January 24th, nominees will be contacted by the commencement coordinator with details on submitting drafts of their three-minute speeches (due Friday, February 4, 2022).
  
• Finalists will be selected and contacted during the week of February 14, 2022, to schedule virtual readings with the selection committee. (The readings will occur via Zoom the afternoon of Wednesday, February 23rd, or the morning of Thursday, February 24th–TBD.)
  
• Once selected, the student speaker will work with Associate Dean Janet Bixby on developing the final draft of their 3-minute speech.
• The student speaker will join with the platform party (including President Wiewel, Dean Fletcher, and the commencement speaker) in delivering their speech for the June 5, 2022, ceremony.
  

For reference, the speeches from the 2021 student commencement speakers are available here and by scrolling to the 24:44, 28:52, and 33:24-minute marks.