Interested students will submit a written draft of their speech to uc-asc@uiowa.edu. 

Selected speaker(s) will be notified by email and have an opportunity to receive feedback on their speech draft. 

Student speakers must submit their University College Virtual Recognition of Graduates Participation Form. If needed, contact your advisor regarding the University College Virtual Recognition of Graduates Participation Form.

Speeches should be three-to-seven minutes long; read your speech out loud and time it. 

Students will record a video of their speech to be included in our virtual recognition. Tips and assistance with video recording are available.  

Students can record their speech using their preferred software. Alternatively, studio space is available in Calvin Hall for students able to travel to campus to record. 

If you are selected as the speaker, your name and program of study will be displayed on screen as your speech begins. At some point in your speech please formally introduce yourself and the program of study you’re earning (i.e., Bachelor of Applied Studies). 

Successful speakers will pick a theme--some specific lesson, idea, or individual takeaway from your time here--and carry that message throughout the speech. 

Be specific with your message, even if it doesn’t capture everything. Rather than attempting to capture the totality of your IOWA career, spend more time fully describing and unpacking a few ideas. 

There is something we can learn from you. Perhaps it’s tied to your identity: who you are, and how you’ve changed here. Include personal narratives to which your graduating cohort can relate through shared experience. 

Consider the occasion but avoid cliché. The virtual recognition is a time for celebration, togetherness, and emphasis of shared accomplishments. Your speech should reflect this, in unique and thoughtful ways.