University Of Alaska Anchorage: Graduate Students: Invitation For Special Opportunity

Press release from the University of Alaska Anchorage:

April 1, 2021

Congratulations on your upcoming graduation!

The Graduate School extends warm appreciation to you for your hard work, perseverance, and dedication
to your own academic and personal growth. Your achievement will last a lifetime.

In advance of the 2021 Spring Virtual Hooding Ceremony honoring your achievement to
be held Saturday, May 1 at 3 p.m., we are seeking a Student Speaker to represent your
graduating class and offer brief remarks about your graduate school journey.

As dean of the Graduate School, I encourage you to apply for this prestigious honor.
Should you be selected, you will compose a 3-5 minute speech and deliver it (via pre-recorded
video). You will appear as one of the featured speakers during the pre-recorded 2021
Spring Virtual Hooding Ceremony viewable via the UAA website.

Required application materials

The application for nomination is simple. Please send your most recent resume (include
your name and UAA Student ID number), a 250-300 word essay explaining why you are
interested in being the 2021 Spring Virtual Hooding Ceremony Student Speaker, and
a reference from a UAA faculty member supporting your nomination. All materials must
be sent in one email (though they can be three separate attachments) to uaa_graduateschool@alaska.edu.

Criteria for selection

Your application will be reviewed in its entirety with special consideration given
to the clarity and depth of your interest in being selected as expressed in your essay,
and the strength of your faculty reference. When composing your essay, include details
of your unique journey through graduate school and the ways in which it inspired you
to share it with the audience of fellow graduates, family members, friends, UAA staff,
faculty, and administrators.

Important deadlines

Your application materials are due by midnight Friday, April 2, 2021. Review of applications will occur during the week of April 5, 2021 with a final decision
announced April 9, 2021. If you are selected, you will write and submit your written
speech (3-5 minutes delivered) to the Graduate School by Friday, April 16, 2021 for
approval. Videotaping of you delivering the speech will be scheduled during the week
of April 19, 2021. Prior to the videotaping, you will rehearse with the Dean of the
Graduate School who will offer any support and encouragement you might need.

Good luck to you in applying for this wonderful opportunity. Being selected as the
2021 Virtual Hooding Ceremony Student Speaker will be an outstanding experience. Not
only will you be a treasured speaker at this important academic ceremonial event,
you will be interviewed for UAA website news sources. This will be a memorable moment
and an excellent enhancement to your professional resume.

Good luck!Dean Finney

Mary Jo Finney, Ph.D.Dean, Graduate SchoolUniversity of Alaska Anchorage3211 Providence DriveADM 214Anchorage, AK 99508

This press release was produced by the University of Alaska Anchorage. The views expressed here are the author’s own.