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Some Conestoga convocations have a convocation speaker who addresses the students during the convocation ceremony. The speaker will be recommended by the Executive Deans for each convocation year and ceremony. Convocation Speakers will be chosen through the selection process to ensure a correlation exists between the speaker and convocation ceremony attendees.

Convocation speakers are not paid for speaking at Convocation. They are nominated through the Executive Deans and selected by the Academic Coordinating Committee (ACC) or the President.

This procedure applies to all convocation ceremony speakers. It is not expected that a Convocation Speaker will be selected for every ceremony.

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Executive Deans

• Identify potential convocation speakers for each convocation period 
• Propose nominated Convocation Speakers at an ACC meeting with the presence of the Selection Committee 
• Communicate and confirm with the nominated Convocation Speaker their invitation from the College to speak at Convocation 
• Work to establish a database of potential Convocation Speakers for whom the College can draw on for future Convocations 

Manager, Corporate Communications 

• Request a biography of the Convocation Speaker illustrating their personal and professional accomplishments 
• Distribute to the Convocation Committee 
• Identify the timelines required for receipt of Convocation Speakers biography and presentation materials in conjunction with the Convocation Committee. 
• Review materials of the presentation for Communication messages 
• Prepare any required Press Releases or Media requirements 

Executive Director, Academic Administration 

• Ensure policy and procedures are in place, accessible and communicated. 
• Manage the database of potential Convocation Speaker nominees from ACC President’s Office 
• Confirm the nomination of the Convocation Speaker 
• Introduce the Convocation Speaker at Convocation or assign Designate 
• Presidential Thank You to the Convocation Speaker 

Selection Committee 

• Discuss Nominated Speakers 
• Complete Nominee Selection Criteria Form for each Nominee 
• Designate a member of the Selection Committee to communicate to the Convocation Committee who is the Convocation Speaker 
• Keep Nominee Selection Criteria Form on record for two years post Convocation 
• Selection Committee consists of the following members of the College: President, Executive Deans, Executive Director, Marketing, and Chief Development Officer 

Convocation Speaker 

• Prepare and submit to the Manager of Corporate Communications, their personal biography illustrating personal and professional accomplishments 
• Has the option to prepare and deliver their convocation speech as a “dry run” to the Convocation Committee or Manager of Communications 
• Send presentation media requests and notes 1 week in advance of Convocation 
• Deliver Convocation Speech on the day of Convocation as designated by the College 

Guidelines for the Selection of a Convocation Speaker

The Selection Committee will follow the guidelines below for the process to choose the Convocation Speaker.

1. All Executive Deans will nominate at least one potential convocation speaker by May 1^st for November Convocation and by November 1^st for June Convocation each year. This will become a standard agenda item at ACC four times a year. In April and October the Agenda item will be to discuss potential nominees and, if necessary, a subsequent meeting to review the selection criteria and make a decision on the Convocation Speakers by May 1^st and November 1^st as outlined above.
2. The Selection Committee will use the approved Nominee Selection Criteria for evaluating each nominated Convocation Speaker (see below).

Notes:

• Individuals receiving a Honourary Degree from the College will be considered for convocation speeches.
• Changes to the Selection Criteria are possible when the majority of the Selection Committee agrees to the change.

Convocation Speeches

The convocation speech will be between 5 and 7 minutes in length, with 10 minutes being the maximum length. The overall message should be: relevant to the overall student group (e.g. all of Health Sciences not just paramedic graduates), and the tone will be: inspirational, celebratory, focusing on the students, highlighting the power of networking, and include professional success stories/experiences from the speaker.

Nominee Selection Criteria Form

Criteria in the selection of the Convocation Speaker are below.