Student Commencement Speaker

Student Speaker Guidelines for May 2018 Commencement

Saint Xavier University invites students -- undergraduate and graduate -- to apply to be a commencement speaker. It is a distinguished honor for a student to be selected to present a commencement speech; one that may be included on a resume.

Two students will be selected, one for each of the May 2018 ceremonies as follows:

• Graham School of Management and School of Nursing, Saturday, May 5 at 9:30 a.m.
• College of Arts and Sciences, Saturday, May 5 at 3 p.m.

Graduating students interested in delivering a student commencement speech must meet these guidelines:

• Attend the ceremony for their college/school
• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0
• Good disciplinary standing
• Record of academic achievement, service and campus involvement

Speeches should address the following:

• The transformative power of a SXU education
• Information about your personal development and future outlook
• How your personal experiences as a student shaped your educational journey at SXU and developed a desire for you to want to make a change in the world
• Demonstrate a familiarity with Saint Xavier's Catholic and Mercy heritage
• Include examples from collegiate life, course work, co-curricular involvement, service, reflection on a Core Value, peer and other relationships developed, etc.

The speech should:

• Utilize sophisticated and inspiring, yet accessible, language
• Appeal to and capture the attention of a broad audience
• Be inclusive of the undergraduate and graduate student experience
• Include creative and appealing techniques such as metaphors, stories, quotes, or humor
• Illuminate the universal experience of being a student
• Be structured around a theme using descriptive examples reflective of the broader student experience at SXU
• Be four to six minutes in length, or approximately 750 to 900 words
• For the Graham School of Management and School of Nursing ceremony, be mindful that students from both schools attend the same ceremony

A committee of faculty, staff and students will select the student speakers.

The committee utilizes the following rubric as an evaluative tool for each speech and speech presentation:

Speech Content

The Student's Speech	Poor	Average	Very Good	Excellent
Thoughtfully reflects on how his/her personal experiences at SXU have shaped his/her journey
Uses specific examples as well as effective language to illustrate his/her message
Appeals to a broad audience of graduates, guests, and SXU community members

Speech Delivery

The Student	Poor	Average	Very Good	Excellent
Effectively engages the audience and holds its attention
Uses appropriate pronunciation, volume, and inflection
Maintains eye contact throughout the presentation
Displays appropriate self-confidence and comfort speaking before an audience

How to Apply

In order to apply, submit the following to studentaffairs@sxu.edu by Friday, February 9, 2018.

• Letter of interest that includes contact information (phone and SXU email)
• Draft of speech (Note: The process will be a blind review, meaning your name and identity will not be known by the committee, so be sure to include your first and last name in the name of the file, but do not include any identifiers in the text of the speech.)
• Current resume that includes academic achievements, research, campus involvement and volunteerism

Note: Student-speaker semifinalists will be required to present their speeches to the committee prior to the final selection. Selected finalists will be mentored prior to the delivery of the speech at the commencement ceremony.

Questions about the student speaker selection process may be directed to the Office of Student Affairs in the Warde Academic Center, Room L-103, or contact studentaffairs@sxu.edu or 773-298-3123.