A student speaker is a selected representative from the Graduation cohort who delivers a speech to their peers, guests and university staff.
Benefits of being a student speaker
As a student speaker, you’ll have the opportunity to address your peers, guests and university staff at one of the year's most prestigious events. Your speech will contribute to a fulfilling and memorable day for all those attending. It’s a rare achievement that will enhance your CV.
As a student speaker at one of our in-person ceremonies, you’ll also receive an exclusive Graduation package. This includes:
- An invite to the VIP room before the ceremony for you and 2 guests
- VIP seating for your guests
- Free academic dress hire
- A free digital photograph of your choice
You’ll also receive training in writing and delivering speeches.
Applying to be a student speaker
Applications for student speakers for the 2025 Graduation ceremonies are now closed.
Students selected for interview will be notified by 17 March 2025. We regret that we cannot give further feedback to those who are unsuccessful.
Student Speaker Information
Your Graduation Ceremony is a formal celebration of achievement and an
incredibly important event for you and your peers who are graduating, your families
and friends in the audience, and the University.
Each ceremony is also broadcast live on YouTube. As part of the ceremony your
speech will also be broadcast and has the potential to be viewed by a worldwide audience.
To take part, speakers are committing to engage in a professional process, speaking
on behalf of their cohort to celebrate their time at university, and their
achievements, and to thank the University and its services on behalf of all the
students at the ceremony.
For you to be selected, your speech needs to fulfil certain requirements and you will
be asked to attend a series of training events. These are set out in the ‘Terms of the Speech’ and ‘Mandatory Training’ sections below. Please read them carefully before
applying.
As part of the application process, you will be asked to provide an outline of what
you would like to say. Please follow the ‘Terms of the Speech’. You may feel that
these are somewhat restrictive, however, these are in place to ensure that student
speeches are inclusive and accessible for all those present.
In order to be successful the Student Speech needs to reflect some key elements, these are outlined below.
- Speeches should be no more than two minutes in length.
- Selected speakers understand that they are speaking on behalf of all Graduates attending the Ceremony to celebrate and thank the University.
- Speeches should show appreciation of positive experiences, achievement, the University, academics and professional service staff.
- The content and vocabulary used should be positive, appreciative, uplifting, and suitable for a formal celebratory ceremony.
- Speeches can use your personal experience, but it must be brief and used to highlight positive experiences and/or feelings which apply, as far as possible, to all Graduates attending.
- Speeches must not refer to individual family members, staff or others.
- Speeches must not thank “families and friends” or “loved ones” or refer to their presence at the Ceremony (as some Graduates won’t have anyone to celebrate with).
- Jokes must not be included, but humour is encouraged as long as it fits the tone and formality of the occasion and is accessible to all.
- The complexity of the ceremony means that visual aids or other items should not be used.
- Avoid American examples of student speeches and speech-writing how-to
instructions. These are not in line with UK student speeches.
Please note the University reserves the right to require amendments to content which does not meet the terms of the speech, or withdraw speakers if they have difficulties adhering to the terms of the speech.
Applications open until the midday 7 March 2025, any applications received after this time may not be considered.
Before applying, please ensure that you:
- Carefully read and consider the student speaker information above including the terms of the speech and training dates.
- Check to see if you have committed to any events which may occur during the training and preparation process to ensure, as far as possible, that you can attend the mandatory training and have the time to develop your speech.
- Consider any possible eventualities which might impact your ability to fulfil your responsibilities as a student speaker.
If you think you have what it takes, complete this form to apply.
Students selected for interviews will be notified by 17 March 2025. We regret that we cannot give further feedback to those who are unsuccessful.
Student Speaker Examples
Watch Eleanor's Speech here.
Transcript
Deputy Vice Chancellor, honoured guests, good afternoon.
We are here today as a result of the hard work of all the graduates in the room. Every single one of us should be incredibly proud of what we have achieved. We have learnt many things over our time here at the University of Portsmouth, whether it is about our course, how to live independently, or how to persevere when times get hard, such as juggling coursework, meeting deadlines or learning how to write a university essay for the first time. No matter where you go in your life, never forget the resilience that we have developed here together. Believe in yourselves, we have made it this far.
I would like to extend our gratitude to the teaching staff and the technicians, without whom we would not have been able to learn and complete our studies. Further, I would like to thank the committee of the Psychology Society, who have provided support, as well as organising activities to help us meet and get to know others on our degrees, such as the Psychology Ball. I would also like to thank the Student’s Union and the societies within it, who have enabled us to make friends and engage in or find new hobbies. Finally, I would like to thank the disability services, wellbeing and the academic skills team who have provided support and guidance for many of us during our years here.
Whilst for many of us this is the end of our time at university, this is not where the storyline ends. This is the very first page of the rest of our lives, where learning never ends. Life is just a classroom, so I encourage everyone to keep learning and using the knowledge that we have acquired here. Stay curious, and grab life with both hands. Congratulations graduates.
Watch Joel's Speech here
Transcript
Vice-chancellor, honoured guests, fellow graduates and ladies and gentlemen.
Good afternoon,
I am honoured to be here speaking on behalf of the graduate's Classes of 2022 and 2023, representing the University of Portsmouth and the Faculty of Technology (School of Computing). Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world”, and today, we reflect and contemplate on the remarkable journey experienced at the University.
Firstly, we can finally and rightfully congratulate ourselves on passing this milestone and reaching this celebration day. It's a wonderful occasion to celebrate our experiences, growth, and achievements during our time at the University.
Let’s take a moment to reflect on and be proud of all we have accomplished and the valuable lessons fostered throughout at University. Our time at the University of Portsmouth has provided us with a strong foundation, but there is still much more to learn and explore beyond the confines of academia. The opportunity to do a Bachelors and Master’s degree at the university was a privilege; however, it was not without challenges. Some of us have come from different countries, backgrounds, cultures and experiences; however, we took a leap of faith to start our university journey. As we completed our Masters Project during the summer holidays it was tough, we worked immensely hard. There were times when all of us had to think outside the box and use our critical thinking skills to explore further research, design and deliver complete assignments as well as spend long hours on campus. We recall worrying about university, deadlines and responsibilities at certain points, but also recall days filled with pure delight, laughter, and accomplishments.
Our concept of Education has changed our lives and made a potential impact in the real world by working on significant projects and real-life systems, bringing solutions and innovations. As we celebrate this particular day, let’s take some time to think about the important moments that have shaped our university experience. We can consider the Course, Modules and Projects that had a profound impact on our learning and personal development, furthermore reflecting on the degree, research, or employment that allowed us to apply our knowledge in real-world contexts. On this note to the multitude of staff members, professors, lecturers and faculty team at the University we thank you. All of us have played a crucial role in supporting us and creating an environment conducive to learning and growth. Thank you for providing us with crucial insights throughout our academic journey. Thank you for teaching us key transferable skills and most importantly resilience, assertiveness and innovative thinking.
Moving forward from this milestone, remember that the journey doesn't end here. In a world filled with seemingly unyielding complexities, let us approach life's journey with full of energy and curiosity. We all have the opportunity to shape the forthcoming generations and pursue our aspirations as pioneering individuals in the realm of digital innovation. May your future endeavours be filled with success and fulfilment. Thank you!
Watch Primrose's Speech here
Transcript
Chancellor, Honoured guests, ladies and gentlemen.
It is an honour to stand here today and speak on behalf of the graduates. Today marks an important day in our lives. All the feats that we have achieved led to this very moment. People often say "Not all heroes wear capes". Today, however, in this Auditorium "all heroes are wearing capes".
We all have different reasons why we started this journey in beautiful Portsmouth, with its rich history. For some it was the thrill of wanting to make a difference in the world, and for some of us it was the next thing to do. However we started, today we should all be proud of how we finished. To borrow from Nelson Mandela “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world”. Based on this alone, we can say that indeed we are now in a position to change our world.
We should never underestimate or overlook the dedication and work that it has taken to arrive at this point. So, on behalf of all the graduates, thank you University of Portsmouth for being a place where we felt at home, and to all our lecturers, Thank you for your guidance and support, to the librarians and the ASK team for all the academic assistance, thank you, To the student union who showed us through many ways just how diverse our university is, thank you, to all our placements for all the practical skills you helped us. Again, thank you.
Today we can say with pride, based on the knowledge and skills gained throughout the years that we are ready to embark on yet another beautiful journey, however, as we do let us not forget to carry the 6cs of care, let us forever remain; caring, compassionate, competent, committed and with all courage.
I wish us all the best in our new journeys. congratulations class of 2023