A room full of future graduates standing in several rows, image taken from above looking down of young adults wearing graduation regalia, look up, smiling at the camera.

Student Speaker Selection Committee & Application

The Student Speaker Selection Committee will be composed of 10-20 students as well as 3-5 members from the Commencement Committee. The goal is to have the committee composite representative of UB Law.  

The goal is to have the committee composite representative of UB Law.  The following student organizations will have 1 spot reserved for a 3L on the committee:

  • Asian Pacific Allied Law Students Association (APALSA)
  • Black Law Students Association (BLSA)
  • Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council (DEI Council)
  • First-Generation Law Students Association (FGLSA)
  • Italian-American Law Students Association (IALSA)
  • Jewish Law Student Association (JLSA)
  • Latin American Law Students Association (LALSA)
  • Military and Veterans Law Association (MLVA)
  • OUTLaw
  • Parents and Law Students (PALS)
  • Student Bar Association (SBA) E-Board
Committee Application  click to fill out the application
Questions?

Please email any questions or concerns to: law-careers@buffalo.edu.

The student representing the above student groups cannot be considered for student speaker. We recommend that the student groups select their representative by a majority vote held by their members. If we receive more than 20 interested students, the remainder of the students will be randomly selected (name in a bowl and pulled). The drawing will be held publicly (via Zoom) on February 24 at 12:30 p.m. If a student’s name was put forward via one of the above groups, another name will be pulled again.

Selection Process

The Student Selection Committee will work together to:

  • Evaluate the potential speakers via a rubric.
  • Review the speeches on paper and video.
  • Meet to discuss the speeches.
  • Meet to view and discuss the live presentations from finalists.
  • Deliberate to select a student commencement speaker.

Applicants are required to record their full speech, which should not exceed 5-minutes. Their speech does not have to be in its final form but should convey the kind of oralist they would be at graduation. The video should be uploaded to Box. Only the Student Speaker Selection Committee will be able to view the speeches. Applicants will not be able to view other applicant's submissions.

The top 3 finalists must present their final speech in front of the Student Speaker Selection Committee and the Commencement Committee in-person. The committee groups can deliberate together, but only the Student Speaker Selection Committee can vote on the finalists’ presentation. Before the top 3 finalists’ live presentation, they must unanimously decide whether the other candidates can view their speech.

After deliberation, whichever finalist holds the majority vote, will be the student speaker at commencement.

Important Dates

  • Deadline for Student Speaker Selection Committee Applications:
           February 20, 2026
  • Student Speaker Selection Committee Drawing *if needed*:
           February 24, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.
  • Deadline for Student Speaker Applications:
          Wednesday, March 4 by 11:59 p.m.
  • Deadline for Student Selection Committee | Top 3 Candidates:
          Vote Deadline:  Friday, March 13 by 11:59 p.m.
  • Student Speaker Top 3 Live Auditions:
         Friday, March 27, 2026 at 12:15 p.m. (Courtroom)
  • Student Speaker Committee Deliberations:
         Friday, March 27, 2026 (immediately following auditions) (Courtroom)
  • Student Speaker Announcement:
          Tuesday, March 31, 2026
  • Student Speaker Rehearsal Dean with Mueller:
          Monday, May 4, 2026

Committee Application