Fwd: Seeking Nominations/Applications for Student Speakers for Commencement 2026

[Undergrad Advising Global Studies]

--------- Forwarded message ---------

From: Michael Miller <UGED...@ltsc.ucsb.edu>
Date: Fri, Feb 27, 2026 at 9:40 AM
Subject: [UCSBADVS] Seeking Nominations for Student Speakers for Commencement 2026
To: ls-allchairs <ls-all...@ltsc.ucsb.edu>, UCSBADVS <ucsb...@ltsc.ucsb.edu>
Cc: Michael Miller <michael.mill...@ltsc.ucsb.edu>, ls-allmanagers <ls-allm...@ltsc.ucsb.edu>, Nick Alward <ni...@ltsc.ucsb.edu>

Dear Colleagues,

Thank you in advance for your help, and please distribute this memo widely.

We have begun the search for student commencement speakers for the College of Letters & Science Commencement ceremonies to take place this Spring. Seven student ceremonies are scheduled this year, and each will have a student speaker. We would greatly appreciate your help in nominating outstanding candidates.

Note that this year, as you will see on the Commencement schedule, there are seven total ceremonies: five that cover multiple departments, and two that cover single departments for Economics (June 14, 3 PM) and Psychological and Brain Sciences (June 12, 3 PM). For single-department ceremonies, responsibility for student speaker selection has been given to that respective Department. Students with questions regarding applying to speak at one of these single-department ceremonies should contact the related department (Economics or Psych and Brain Sciences).

The speaker application form below is for for students who are participating in one of the five multi-department ceremonies, including:

• Humanities & Fine Arts - Friday, June 12, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
• Mathematical & Physical Sciences - Saturday, June 13, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Biological Sciences & Environmental Studies - Saturday, June 13, 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM
• Social Sciences - Sunday, June 14, 9:00 AM - 10:30 AM
• Sociology & Political Science - Sunday, June 14, 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

Student speakers will be selected to deliver a brief commencement address (about 5 minutes) as representatives of their classmates. I am writing to ask you and your colleagues for help in identifying candidates for this role.

Although there are no absolute requirements, candidates should have good verbal communication skills and a strong academic record. In addition, we have found that students with unusual life experiences tend to make good speakers.

If you wish to nominate a student, please submit the student's full name, (and perm number if possible) no later than Monday, March 9, 2026 to Nick Alward-Saxon, Executive Assistant to the Dean, at nick@ltsc.ucsb.edu. Our office will then contact the student to invite them to apply.

Students who wish to apply to speak at any of the multi-department ceremonies should fill out the electronic application at:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd9u5DJLG_cKVS25BEwC7SWI-vlhLa9JJza2M0sj0qtjsiOtQ/viewform?usp=sf_link

Student applications must be submitted via the above form by the final deadline of Monday, March 30, 2026.

A small group of finalists will be chosen out of the application pool to be interviewed by a committee of faculty and deans before final selection is made.

Finally, please find a flyer attached, which we hope you will share in your Department.

Thank you in advance for your help in identifying potential commencement speakers.

___________________

Michael B. Miller
Associate Vice Chancellor of Undergraduate Education
Dean of Undergraduate Education, College of Letters and Sciences