Selection Guidelines for Fall Commencement Speaker
91¾«Ń” is seeking a student speaker for the spring Commencement ceremony that will be held on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, in the Alan Jay Wildstein Center for the Performing Arts on the Highlands Campus. The student speaker must be eligible to graduate by the end of the spring term. Student speakers may be nominated but must still apply.
Forms are available on Brightspace, Panther Central, and in any director or deanās office.
March 23, 2026 – Applicant information and speech outlines are due
April 3, 2026Ā – The Selection Committee will name finalists
April 10, 2026Ā – Finalists will present speeches to Selection Committee
Applicants must follow the 2026 Student Speaker GuidelinesĀ and include the following information in their email submission:
- The studentās name
- The studentās 91¾«Ń” I.D. number
- Complete address of residence
- Phone number
- Email address
- Degree or certificate being awarded
- Graduation date
Only one student speaker will be selected by the Selection Committee for the Commencement Ceremony.
Speech Requirements
The speech should be limited to 10 minutes.
Applicants must select their own topics. They may wish to make points that are relevant to college graduates. Some possible topicsĀ might beĀ the value of education, specifically at 91¾«Ń”; the role that education will play in the graduatesā futures; or ways that education changes peopleās lives, etc. These are only examples.
Speeches should contain appropriate examples, stories, and instances of humor suitable for a commencement ceremony and an audience that includes the graduates, small children, senior adults, the 91¾«Ń” District Board of Trustees, the president, faculty, and staff.
For additional information, interested students should contact Dr. Mark Bukowski, dean, student services Mark.Bukowski@southflorida.edu or 91¾«Ń”StudentServices@southflorida.edu.
