Spring is almost here, which means the Graduate and PhD Commencement Ceremony is fast approaching. In the recent years, a highlight from the ceremony has been a graduate student sharing their experience with their fellow peers. This year all graduate students who are participating in the ceremony are invited to apply to be the graduate student speaker. All applicants must be participating in the ceremony and in good academic standing.

To apply, complete the application below by Sunday, March 3. Prior to starting the application, please have the following items prepared: 

• Updated Resume
• Essay (200 words max) stating why you are interested in being the Graduate Commencement Speaker. Please include experiences at Bentley University and outside of your graduate studies.
• Copy of an original speech you will be giving. There is not a specific prompt, we encourage you to be creative with something that will resonate for those in attendance. The graduate student commencement speaker should have the ability to give a positive, meaningful and inspirational address to the graduating class, their families and other guests both those in person and online. 
  • Your speech will be about 3-5 minutes long, or about 500-750 words. If chosen, your speech may be edited for a consistent tone with the ceremony and other remarks given. 
  • You will be required to attend the ceremony in person and may be needed the day prior to the ceremony for rehearsal. 
  • The best speeches will be those that are directed at a large number of people; highly personal speeches may not be appropriate. However, the speech should be unique to the experience of being a Bentley graduate student.
• 2-minute video of you giving a portion of your speech. Applicants should be skilled at public speaking, so this will give the selection committee an indication of what can be expected. The video can either be uploaded or you can provide a link if you posted it online.  

Submit an Application!