Who gets to speak at graduation?

Valedictorian (VD) is an academic title for the highest-performing student of a graduating class of an academic institution. A valedictorian giving his valediction (farewell speech) at commencement.

Who all gives speeches at graduation?

Greetings – Introductions from the principal, the board, and a class representative to formally kick off the event. Speakers – Inspirational speeches from the student speaker (usually the class president), guest speaker, and a former student.

Who gets to make a speech at graduation?

Additionally, the salutatorian also plays a pivotal role in the graduation ceremony. Like the valedictorian, the salutatorian is tasked with delivering a speech on stage during the ceremony itself.

How are graduation speakers chosen?

The undergraduate student speaker will have a successful academic record and a history of participation in campus or community activities. A selection committee with representation from the faculty, staff, and student body will review applications, interview a number of candidates, and determine finalists.

What is the person who speaks at graduation called?

The valedictorian is usually the student with the highest grades in a class. If the valedictorian of your class is someone you like and admire, you'll enjoy listening to her graduation speech. At a high school or university graduation, the valedictorian traditionally gives a farewell speech, called a valedictory.

Spring 2023 Student Commencement Speaker - Kelsey O'Conner

Does everyone give a speech at graduation?

Tradition has the valedictorian/salutatorian giving a speech at the graduation ceremony of their class.

Who gets valedictorian?

Valedictorian is the academic title conferred upon the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution, typically based upon the highest grade point average. Salutatorian is the academic title conferred upon the second highest ranking student in the class.

Why do you want to speak at graduation?

They are a culmination of years of hard work, growth, and shared experiences. These speeches are a golden opportunity to reflect on the collective journey, celebrate achievements, and inspire the graduating class as they step into the uncharted territory of the future.

Why do you speak at graduation?

The purpose of a commencement ceremony is to affirm each student's educational accomplishments. The most effective commencement speeches celebrate their current achievements in the context of their anticipated future goals and experiences.

Why should I be graduation speaker?

The purpose of the commencement speaker should be to inspire the members of the graduating class, not to amuse or to instruct them, and certainly not to bore them. Of course, in inspiring, he may make use of humor, may instruct, convince, and actuate, but these should be incidental to the main end of inspiration!

What are the top 5 graduates called?

Cum laude: “With distinction,” typically 3.5–3.6 GPA or top 16-35% of class. Magna cum laude: “With great distinction,” typically 3.7–3.8 GPA or top 6-15% of class. Summa cum laude: “With highest honor,” typically 3.9–4.0 GPA or top 1-5% of class.

What is the top student called?

What Is a Valedictorian? The valedictorian is the student who graduates with the highest GPA in the grade level. In the case of a tie, some schools name multiple valedictorians. At other schools, ties are broken based on the number of AP courses students have taken during their high school careers.

What's higher than valedictorian?

Summa cum laude is the highest level of distinction, magna cum laude is next and that is followed by cum laude. It is a great honor to be named valedictorian or salutatorian, and it is an honor worth celebrating at graduation and beyond.

Do graduation speakers get paid?

Only about 30 percent of colleges actually pay for commencement speakers. Funny enough, Ivy League universities and other high-end wealthy institutions rarely pay for speakers. For nearly anyone, if you get invited to speak at Harvard or Stanford, you'll likely accept the opportunity as an honor.

How many students can be valedictorian?

As a result, more high schools are choosing multiple valedictorians in order to highlight the accomplishments and dedication of multiple students. At some schools, in fact, over dozens of students qualify for the honor.

How is valedictorian chosen?

Conclusion. At most high schools, the valedictorian is the top student in the class as determined by GPA. Some schools use weighted GPAs while others use unweighted GPAs, and this may affect the type of student who ends up as valedictorian.

How long should a graduation speech be?

Five to 10 minutes is just about right. At 200 to 250 words per minute (practice and time your delivery), that equates to about 1000–2500 words. Table ​1 lists the word count of a sampling of some recent commencement addresses.

Do you say a speech at graduation?

A graduation speech is an oration given by a student or faculty member during an online or in-person graduation ceremony, usually to celebrate the graduating class's accomplishments and offer words of encouragement and inspiration as they move on to the next stage of their lives.

How do graduation speeches start?

Commencement is a formal ceremony. As such, a formal greeting is appropriate to start the speech. The correct order of the greeting is: “Members of the Board of Trustees, President Erickson, faculty, staff, families, guests, and my fellow graduates.”

What not to do in a graduation speech?

Avoid cliches and generalities that don't have real relevance to the graduates or the occasion. Speaking for too long: Graduation speeches should be concise and to the point. Graduates and their families have been sitting through ceremonies all day, so it's important to keep your speech short and engaging.

How long are graduation ceremonies?

Translating that into practical terms: the ideal length for a commencement ceremony is about 90 minutes to 2 hours in length. The absolute maximum length should be 2 1/2 hours knowing that you will get complaints for ceremonies over two hours.

Is valedictorian a big deal?

Becoming valedictorian is a significant achievement, but it requires a lot of work and can impact your mental health. While it can definitely boost your admission chances, it's not always necessary—strong academics and standout extracurriculars can be enough, even without that #1 ranking.

Can there be 2 valedictorians?

If two or more students are tied with the same weighted GPA, then in most cases, multiple valedictorians or co-valedictorians are declared. Some schools will look at number of credits earned or even leadership and extracurricular activities to break ties, especially if there is a “no-tie” policy in place.

Does Harvard accept all valedictorians?

There is no guarantee for valedictorians or anyone else to get into Harvard. So still apply, but realize it truly is a reach school for everyone, even the valedictorians.

Can you refuse to give a speech as valedictorian?

A valedictorian is the person who is asked to give the graduation speech. And yes, if you don't want to do it, you could politely let them know how much you appreciate it but would prefer not to do it. The school would then select somebody else to deliver the speech.