Commencement is a celebration of academic achievement that unites the entire UNG community. It is the last step in the academic journey for our students and their first step as UNG graduates.
We hope you will take an active role in this proud tradition by helping us identify potential keynote speakers and student speakers who will inspire our graduates, families, faculty, staff, and guests.
We encourage you to make nominations by following the process outlined below.
For more information or to request a list of past speakers, email universityevents@ung.edu.
The Commencement Committee will create a prioritized slate of suggested candidates. This slate will then be shared with the Chief of Staff and the Provost, who will make a recommendation to the President for approval.
Faculty and staff members are eligible for consideration.
UNG does not currently provide honorariums to commencement speakers. The committee may make a recommendation to award honorary degrees to recognize exceptionally distinguished speakers, with Presidential approval and in accordance with University System of Georgia and UNG policy.
Keynote speaker nominees should:
Eligible fall and spring graduates who submit their graduation application on time and indicate an intention to walk in their ceremony will be invited to apply for this distinct honor. Members of the UNG community may also nominate exceptional students for consideration.
Candidates must submit the following as part of their electronic application:
The Commencement Committee will review each applicant’s submission and make the final selection of student speakers.
The Commencement Committee helps plan and support various functional aspects of UNG's commencement exercises. The committee recommends potential keynote speakers for the December, May and August ceremonies, as well as prospective student speakers for the December and May ceremonies.
UNG faculty, staff, and students serve on the committee, which is organized by the Office of University Events. These individuals include: