Valedictorian Selection Process

For 2022 Convocation

We're glad you're thinking of running for valedictorian!

What is a valedictorian?

A valedictorian gives a farewell and congratulatory speech addressed to the students, their guests, and the institution. There will be one valedictorian or one pair of co-valedictorians selected from each VIU Faculty that delivers educational programs. At each ceremony, the valedictory address will be a projected video compilation of all 2022 Faculty Valedictorians.

Valedictorians are selected by students in their Faculty's graduating class, based on a candidate statement (video or written plus a photo) that will be posted online for the election. If only one nomination is submitted for a particular Faculty, that nominee will be declared to be elected by acclamation, and no election will be held for that Faculty.

How to become a valedictorian

To put your name forward for consideration, send an email to Convocation@viu.ca that includes the following information. The deadline has been extended to Thursday, March 31, 2022, 3:00 pm, for all June 2022 ceremonies.

• Your full name as it is on your student record
• Your VIU student number
• Your program (MBA, Culinary Arts, etc.)
• This statement:  "With this email, I declare myself a candidate for valedictorian of my graduating class in my Faculty.  If I am found to be ineligible to graduate, I understand that I will also be ineligible to act as valedictorian." 
  • • OR, if you are putting your name forward as co-valedictorian with someone else, we need emails from each of you. The statement in each email in that case should read, "With this email, I declare myself a candidate for valedictorian of my graduating class in my Faculty, as co-valedictorian with [Name of your partner].  If I am found to be ineligible to graduate, I understand that I will also be ineligible to act as valedictorian."
• A short video presentation of you (maximum 2 minutes) answering the question, "Why should I be your valedictorian?" Remember, you will be addressing only those graduates who are in your Faculty - they will be the ones voting in your election. Please submit the video as an attachment to your email. Co-valedictorians, please send in one video for you both answering the question, "Why should we be your co-valedictorians?"
  • • OR, a written candidate statement (maximum 150 words) answering the question, "Why should I be your valedictorian?" Remember, you will be addressing only those graduates who are in your Faculty - they will be the ones voting in your election. Please submit the candidate statement (MS Word document) as an attachment to your email. Co-valedictorians, please send in one candidate statement for you both, answering the question, "Why should we be your co-valedictorians?" AND,
      
    • A photo (not too large, please) of yourself -- formal or informal. The photo should be in the highest resolution possible and at least 1 megabyte, and either a .jpg, .png, .tif, or raw file. Please submit the photo as an attachment to your email. Co-valedictorians, please send in a separate photo of each of you.
• The email must be sent from the email address you have listed within your online student record.

Please note: Valedictorians must be confirmed graduates at the time of the ceremony. Students attending convocation as a "participant" (i.e. expected to graduate within a month of the ceremony) are not eligible to perform the duties of a valedictorian.

Convocation Valedictorian Election Process for 2022

See a list of VIU's past valedictorians

Updated April 6, 2022