Updated as of 2:45 p.m. on May 1 to include comments from Craig Brandstetter
Elon senior Craig Brandstetter was selected as the student undergraduate commencement speaker on April 30, according to an email sent to seniors by Vice President for Student Life Jon Dooley.
Brandstetter will deliver the message of appreciation on behalf of the graduating class of 2025 during the Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies on Friday, May 23.
“Being able to be commencement speaker is a very exciting thing, it's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Branstetter said.
A member of the 3+1 accelerated dual degree business program, Brandstetter will graduate with a bachelor's degree in finance and a master’s degree in business analytics. According to the email, during his time at Elon, Brandstetter served as a team lead for the Center of Organizational Analytics, a tour guide for the Love School of Business, the president of Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and a member of Beta Theta Pi fraternity.
Brandstetter said the most important part of his Elon experience that he will remember is his friends.
“I made some friends that I will have for the rest of my life here, and generally going to miss them so much after I leave,” Brandstetter said.
Brandstetter’s selection marks the second time a student other than the senior class president was selected as the student speaker at graduation.
In February 2024, the Student Government Association announced that all seniors who meet the application criteria would have the chance to apply to speak at the 2024 graduation ceremony. Previously, the senior class president automatically gained the spot. Grace Ackermann was selected to speak at the class of 2024 commencement ceremonies.
Seniors who apply must be graduating, full-time students who have been at Elon for at least five semesters, have a cumulative GPA of 2.75 or higher, be in good standing with the university and may not be “a present or former SGA executive or senior class officer,” according to the application form.
The speaker is then selected through a committee that includes senior students, faculty and staff and through a vote by the senior class. After the committee reviews the applications, it selects 10 semifinalists and opens the selection to a vote by the senior class, who can vote for up to three candidates. Once the vote closes, the three top candidates are invited to share their speech with the selection committee. Then the committee makes a recommendation for the speaker to university President Connie Book.
Brandstetter said his speech centers around how Elon shapes and changes students.
“It's about growth and changing the perspective that most of us have about what Elon is,” Bradstetter said. “As well as the amount of growth that we've been able to get for ourselves through what Elon is as a place.
The 135th Commencement for the class of 2025 will be Friday, May 23, with ceremonies being held in the Schar Center. Ceremonies will also be available to watch online at elon.edu/live.
Megan Walsh contributed to the reporting of this story.