Commencement Student Speaker

Represent Your Peers at Commencement

Each year a graduating student is selected to speak on behalf of their graduating class. This honor allows a graduate to share a message of inspiration and encouragement, commemorate this accomplishment, and inspire fellow classmates to carry the Hawkeye Community College mission out into the world.

Hawkeye Community College invites graduating students from the Class of 2025 to apply to be the student speaker at the Commencement Ceremony on May 2, 2025.

Student Speaker Requirements

Graduating students interested in being the Student Speaker must:

1. Be eligible or on track to graduate.
2. Be in good academic standing.
3. Commit to attend and fully participate in the commencement ceremony and rehearsal

The selected student speaker will be required to:

1. Present a 3 – 5 minute speech (approximately 400 – 750 words) that will be addressed at the Hawkeye Community College Commencement Ceremony.
2. Leading up to the commencement ceremony, work with Hawkeye faculty, staff, and administration to further develop speech and delivery.
3. Attend commencement ceremony day-of rehearsal.

Selecting a Commencement Student Speaker

All applications will be reviewed and evaluated by a selection committee.

If you're selected as a finalist, we'll let you know via your Hawkeye email by Tuesday, February 11, 2025 and invite you to meet with the selection committee and present a draft of your speech.

Both content and delivery of your speach will be evaluated in the final selection process.

A student speaker will be selected and contacted by Wednesday, February 19, 2025.