Each year, a Commencement speaker is chosen to help celebrate the graduating class and offer them inspirational words of wisdom. The Penn community is welcome to nominate candidates for consideration.
Prior to making a nomination, please familiarize yourself with the qualifications for eligibility by reviewing previous Commencement speakers and honorary degree recipients. This information can be found here: https://secretary.upenn.edu/ceremonies/commencement-speakers
Nominations are not intended solely for the current academic year and can be made at any time throughout the year. Given scheduling requirements, our Commencement speaker is frequently invited many months in advance.
It is a Penn tradition that University Commencement speakers attend the ceremony and address the graduates in person.
The Commencement speaker will receive a Penn honorary degree.
Final decisions for honorary degrees and University Commencement speaker are the responsibility of the Trustee Honorary Degrees Committee.
Nominations should highlight the nominees' achievements and contributions. Please do not contact the nominee as the nomination process is confidential and nominees should not know that they are being considered.
For general purposes, fields of consideration are as follows:
Arts and Culture
Business
Education
Entertainment and Media
Humanities and Social Sciences
Public Affairs (government, law)
Scholarship/Academia
Science, Technology and Medicine
Please note that we will not review candidates in the following categories:
Posthumous nominations
In absentia nominations
Organizations or institutional bodies
Groups of individuals
Self-nomination
Penn standing faculty, trustees, or members of School and Center Boards of Advisors
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to ofcsec@pobox.upenn.edu.
To nominate a candidate for Commencement speaker, please fill out this form.
