Nominations Invited for 2023 Student Commencement Speakers

Student Affairs announces changes to speaker selection process

Vice President for Student Affairs Mary Pat McMahon sent the following email to all students Wednesday.

Beginning this academic year, the role of student speakers at university commencement exercises is changing to include both an undergraduate and a graduate or professional student.

Each student representative will offer brief welcome remarks during the formal commencement ceremony, one on behalf of the roughly 1900 undergraduates receiving their diplomas and the other on behalf of the 5000 or so graduate and professional students receiving their degrees.

Nominate a Student Speaker

All members of the Duke community are invited to nominate candidates for both the undergraduate and graduate & professional student speaker.


 Nomination form

This will replace a past practice in which a single speaker, usually an undergraduate, spoke as part of the program.

The student speaker selection process has been redesigned to be less burdensome for potential speakers. The selection committee is now accepting nominations, which are due by April 12.  I encourage all members of the Duke community to offer nominees for these two roles; graduating students are welcome to nominate their peers and/or themselves.

Additional details about eligibility can be found in the nomination form. The selection committee will consist of the Dean of Students, the Vice Provost of Undergraduate Education, the Vice Provost for Graduate Education, a representative from Duke Student Government, and a representative from Graduate and Professional Student Government.

I look forward to celebrating the accomplishments of all our graduates at this year's commencement.

Go Duke,

Mary Pat McMahon

Vice Provost of Student Affairs