Deadline: October 18
Audition: October 24
University of Hawai‘i at Hilo
Fall 2019
Undergraduate Student Commencement Speaker Application
Dear Applicant:
Thank you for your interest in becoming a candidate for Student Speaker for the Fall 2019 Commencement
Ceremony. The person selected will represent the graduating students of the Class of Fall 2019 and
will play a very important role in the Commencement Ceremony.
The following section describes the criteria and process to be used for selecting the speaker. Attached is
the application itself, which is to be returned to the Humanities Division Office, K-214, by 4pm on Friday,
October 18, 2019. If you have any questions, you may contact Colby Miyose at colby.miyose@hawaii.edu.
Please keep this page for future reference.
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CRITERIA:
I. High Academic Achievement
The student must demonstrate academic achievement, as evidenced by a minimum cumulative
GPA of 3.0 from UHH courses at the end of the Spring 2019 semester.
II. University/Community Service
The student must have a record of meaningful University and/or community service.
III. Graduating Senior
The student must have applied for graduation and be graduating this semester as an undergraduate
student.
IV. Public Communication Skills
The student must demonstrate the potential to communicate to a large audience on a
graduation-related theme in a meaningful, clear, and an expressive manner.
PROCEDURE OF APPLICATION:
Complete the attached brief application and return it to the Humanities Division Office, K-214, by 4pm on
Friday, October 18, 2019. Late applications cannot be accepted. Be sure to have your application date
and time stamped by one of the Humanities Division secretaries.
I. Applicants who meet criteria I, II and III, above, will be invited to speak at an audition session to be held
between the hours of 2:00-4:00pm on Thursday, October 24, 2019 in the conference room of the
Humanities Division Office, K-214A. Should you be selected to audition, be prepared to present a 3-
minute speech you would give at the graduation ceremony. There will be a small group of judges
present, but you will speak as if you are addressing those assembled at the graduation ceremony itself.
You may speak extemporaneously or use a manuscript. There will be no microphone at the audition.
Do note that this is an actual audition, so please come prepared.
II. Invitations to speak at the Thursday October 24
th
audition will be extended by e-mail. If you have not
been reached by Tuesday, October 22
nd
, please contact Colby Miyose by e-mail
(colby.miyose@hawaii.edu) or at 932-7208 to learn what time you have been scheduled to speak on the
afternoon of October 24
th
. Please be on time for your scheduled audition and wait in the hallway outside
of Humanities Division office until you are greeted.
III. Final selection by the judges will be based upon the sample speeches given on October 24
th
.
Both content and delivery will be considered (along with academic achievement and service in
especially close competition).
IV. The student selected to be the Student Commencement Speaker will receive assistance from
UH-Hilo faculty in refining their speech and its delivery. The student selected must email the speech to
the committee in a timely manner.
V. The student selected to be the Student Commencement Speaker must practice with a podium and
microphone at the UHH theatre, UCB 100, or Wentworth 1 (whichever is available) at least one time,
specifically during the last week of instruction or finals week. The selected student will receive
assistance from faculty members.
