Applicants must be entering their second year at Georgia Tech and in both academic and judicial good standing. The spirit of the speech is to come from a sophomore, but students who have over 30 credit hours due to transfer credit may still apply.
The New Student Convocation speech is approximately five minutes in length. The message should be reflective on your first year at Georgia Tech and include words of wisdom for the incoming class.
Applicants must feel comfortable speaking at a podium in front of a very large audience. We encourage students to view previous speeches and visit with the Communication Center to help them prepare their speech.
All submissions will be reviewed by a committee consisting of faculty and staff, who will select the winner.
Once selected, the speaker is required to work with the Communication Center during the semester and meet in-person with event organizers for final review prior to Commencement. Students do not need to be living on campus to qualify, but must return to campus by Friday, August 18.
Students must submit a video of them reciting their entire speech. Speeches do not have to be memorized for the submission.
Ideal submissions are a single shot of the student reciting their speech in a quiet environment and have clear sound quality so the panel can hear the student.
The deadline for submissions is Monday, June 26 at noon.
Sophomore Speaker Application Page
How do I submit my video?
Students are requested to send a link to the video file. Video files may be shared via YouTube, your Microsoft OneDrive, Google Drive, Drop Box, or SendSpace. Please include your name and major and the start of your video.