Hello, Luke, 

Congratulations! You are among a few students who will earn a bachelor's degree with a level of distinction in May.

Because of your academic success, I am reminding you to apply for the role of commencement student speaker in one of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences ceremonies that will take place at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 13, 2023, at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

This is an excellent opportunity to represent your graduating class during this special occasion.

If you would like to be considered, please submit the following materials:

• A letter of recommendation from an instructor or teaching assistant (this can come separately from your other materials)
• A self-recorded video clip of a brief proposal (max 200 words/90 seconds) on why you would like to be the commencement speaker and what you would talk about in a speech that will be no longer than four minutes. 

Please review these tips for speech writing and recording before you submit your video. The following are examples of themes or topics you could focus on in a commencement speech.

• How have you changed or grown during your time at Iowa?
• As you graduate, what and who are you most grateful for?
• Looking forward, what do you hope for, for yourself and your fellow graduates? 

Apply for this opportunity by sending an email with the above items attached to clas-marcom@uiowa.edu no later than 5 p.m. Friday, April 7. 

A small committee representing CLAS students, faculty, and staff will review the student speaker applications and select several finalists for each ceremony. If you are selected as a finalist, we will notify you via email by Friday, April 14, and invite you for an on-campus in-person interview with the selection committee the week of April 17. 

We will notify the chosen speaker the week of April 24. If needed, the Writing Center and Speaking Center (housed in the Department of Rhetoric) will be available for consultation.

Again, congratulations on your academic achievements! I hope you will consider applying to represent your fellow graduates as a College of Liberal Arts and Sciences commencement speaker.

If you have questions, please email clas-marcom@uiowa.edu. 

Sincerely,

Cornelia C. Lang, Ph.D
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences