With their undergraduate careers drawing to a close, MSU seniors Eric Stoddard and Ben Kronk figured they had been through it all.
That is, until they were selected as the student speakers for their Dec. 9 commencement.
“When I got the news in a letter, I had to read it twice,” said Stoddard, a political theory and constitutional democracy senior. “This is definitely something new for me.”
Kronk, a marketing senior, said he’s still somewhat shocked from when he received word of his selection to speak at graduation.
“I can’t really put it into words,” he said. “It is just such a great honor. I am simply in awe of being selected.”
A Rochester, Mich. resident graduating after less than four years at MSU, Stoddard will be addressing the 10 a.m. commencement. Kronk, who transferred to MSU after a year at the University of Michigan-Dearborn, will deliver the address during the 1 p.m. ceremony.
The two soon-to-be graduates were chosen by the Senior Class Council, which annually selects the student speakers for commencement.
“The content of both (Stoddard’s and Kronk’s) speeches was really interesting,” said Andy Losiniecki, a co-chairperson of the Senior Class Council commencement board. “They were both excellent speakers.”
Stoddard and Kronk, along with seven other seniors, applied for the positions in October and they submitted their five-minute speeches to be evaluated by the board.
Since the number of applicants did not exceed 10, all candidates were asked to come in for an interview session and perform their address in front of the committee.
“We wanted the speakers to focus on some more broader aspects of college life,” Losiniecki said. “Eric and Ben’s were really broad speeches that a lot students can relate to.”
While their orations may be similar in subject matter - each focuses on what it means to be an MSU student and includes a reference to the men’s basketball team’s 1999 NCAA Championship - Stoddard, 21, and Kronk, 22, used different preparation tactics.
Kronk, for example, decided the key to a good address was through researching past speeches.
“I learned that I need to try not to put too much on myself,” he said.
Stoddard, who already has his speech committed to memory, says the time and preparation he put into his speech will make his memories of graduation even more enjoyable.
“It was pretty nerve-racking because a lot was on the line,” Stoddard said “But, I think it will have a real sense of accomplishment when it comes along.”
