Ellyn Getz '13 was selected as the undergraduate speaker at commencement by the class of 2013 last week, according to Dean of Student Life Rick Sawyer. 

Getz, a Business and Theater Arts major, is also a Roosevelt Fellow, a Theater Arts Undergraduate Departmental Representative and a member of the a cappella group Starving Artists. She has worked on Alumni Relations and Development and as Season Advisory Committee Member of the Theater Department.

With a grade point average of 3.77, Getz is on the Dean's List. In addition, she won the Outstanding UDR Award and the Brandeis Pluralism Alliance Award for Brandeis Cares 2012. Her senior thesis research project involved measuring the drivers of Broadway musical financial success.

According to Getz, she feels privileged to have been chosen to speak at commencement. "It is a huge honor to congratulate [the] Class of 2013 on our collective accomplishments right before we receive our degrees! I'm so excited to speak, and I couldn't be more thrilled to represent Brandeis Class of 2013," wrote Getz in an email to the Justice.

Getz plans to reflect upon her experiences at Brandeis in her speech at commencement. "I see the opportunity to be the senior speaker as a way to highlight the memorable, Brandeis-specific experiences that our graduating class participated in together," wrote Getz. "My speech is about the pride I have in our community and in our class' accomplishments."

After the completion of a three-part selection process, Getz was notified that she was chosen to speak on Friday. Each candidate submitted a speech to the Office of the Dean of Student Life in February, along with a one-page application about the extra-curriculars in which each candidate participated, awards and research credits. Ten speeches were chosen by the anonymous committee and announced in the beginning of March.

The senior class proceeded to vote between five finalists, who were notified in the beginning of April.
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