Senior Speaker Application
A Commencement tradition, the senior class speaker is chosen to reflect on the graduating class experience and represents the very best of Purchase College.
The Selection Process
Senior speaker applications are due on Friday, March 27, 2026 by noon.
Finalists need to be available on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 from 1:30-4:00pm to meet with the committee. Finalists will be asked to read a draft of their submitted commencement speech.
If you have any questions regarding the application or the process, please contact jane.bradley@purchase.edu.
What Works Well
Reflect on your experience as a student at Purchase. What clubs, organizations, or activities have you been involved in, and how have they helped shape who you are? The strongest speeches highlight transformation and growth. Perhaps you arrived as a commuter expecting to attend classes and head straight home, only to become deeply involved on campus—writing for The Purchase Phoenix, serving as an intern, rising to editor-in-chief your senior year, and even securing a position at The New York Times after graduation.
Consider, too, your relationships with fellow students, faculty, and staff. How have these interactions influenced your perspective, values, and ambitions? Finally, what do you believe Purchase graduates contribute to the broader world, and how does your own journey reflect that impact?
What to Avoid
Avoid a speech that is so personal it overlooks your broader audience—the entire senior class, as well as faculty, staff, administrators, and invited guests. At the same time, steer clear of a speech so generic that it could be delivered at any college graduation. This should be a message uniquely shaped by the Purchase experience, written by a Purchase student for a Purchase audience.
Avoid clichés, such as references to dreams coming true or overused phrases like the campus motto, “Think Wide Open.” Keep humor measured—this is not the moment for a stand-up routine. Finally, refrain from turning your remarks into a platform for personal political or moral views.
What to Remember
This speech will be heard by family and friends of all the graduates and should be one that will be appreciated and remembered by all. Please provide references and experiences that go beyond the individual schools, clubs, majors, etc.