Commencement speaker nominations open

Dear Wake Forest Community,

As members of the Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee, we look forward to engaging graduating students and other members of the university community in the selection process of our 2013 Commencement speaker. As we begin this exciting task, we look to you to provide us with speaker nominations for Commencement 2013.

Please submit your suggestions to CSAC@wfu.edu by 5 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 9.  Submissions must include:

• Name of nominee
• Two to three paragraphs answering the following question: “Why do you think this person would be an exceptional Commencement speaker at Wake Forest University?”
• Any contact name(s) for your nomination (if possible) and/or any connection to Wake Forest

We are especially interested in hearing from graduating students.  Suggestions are also gratefully welcomed from faculty and staff.

As you can imagine, persons of this caliber are in high demand. While we hope to host a speaker from suggestions we receive, we cannot guarantee that our invitations will be accepted.  However, your thoughts will help inform our approach and our thinking.

This committee is dedicated to the transparency of this process, but please understand that the actual invitation process must remain confidential.

President Hatch will extend the formal invitation. Announcement of the Class of 2013’s commencement speaker will follow a similar timeline as in years past.

We look forward to reviewing your nominations.

Sincerely,

The Commencement Speaker Advisory Committee

Rogan Kersh, Provost, Chair
Tre Easton, Student Government President
Mary Foskett, Professor, Religion
Stephanie Jack, President, Student Union
Jim O’Connell, Student Trustee
Samantha Perrotta, Wake Forest Fellow, Provost Office
Mary Pugel, Chief of Staff, President’s Office
Jennifer Richwine, Assistant Vice President, University Events
Miles Silman, Professor, Biology
Kim Struglinski, Wake Forest Fellow, President’s Office