Student Speaker
Presenting the student commencement address is a great honor and an opportunity to inspire, engage with, and share common experiences with your peers.
Speaker Criteria
- Graduating candidate for a bachelor’s degree
- Receiving their first degree
- Eligible to graduate in the intended term
- Has submitted an application to graduate by the time of application
Application Procedure and Requirements
Application Form
- Fill out and submit the Student Commencement Speaker application in full
- You must be logged into your NC State Google account to access the application
- Upload your audition video to the application form
Once all application materials have been received by the committee, the committee will anonymously vote on and select a candidate. All candidates will be notified of a decision
Speech Content Guidelines
- The topic and format of the speech are left to the discretion of the speaker
- The speech must not be disrespectful and may not contain profanity of any kind
- The speech should be no longer than five minutes
- The speech presented in the audition should be as close to the final speech as possible
Leave your legacy with your graduating class!
Application Dates and Deadlines
| Fall 2026 | Date |
|---|---|
| Student Speaker Application Available | Wed., August 26 |
| Student Speaker Application Deadline | Sun., October 4 |
| Applicants notified of finalist selections | Thu., October 15 |
| In-Person Finalist Auditions | Week of October 19 (dependent on selection committee schedules) |
| Applicants notified of speaker selection | Week of October 26 |
| NC State University Commencement | Sat., December 12 |
| Spring 2027 | Date |
|---|---|
| Student Speaker Application Available | Wed., January 20 |
| Student Speaker Application Deadline | Sun., February 28 |
| Applicants notified of finalist selections | Mon., March 22 |
| In-Person Finalist Auditions | Week of March 22 (dependent on selection committee schedules) |
| Applicants notified of speaker selection | Week of March 29 |
| NC State University Commencement | Sat., May 8 |
If you have any questions about the student commencement speaker application or selection process, please contact the Student Commencement Speaker Committee at commencement@ncsu.edu or 919.515.2577