The UW School of Public Health will celebrate its next graduating class on Sunday, June 16, 2019, at the Alaska Airlines Arena. Graduation speaker nominations are now being accepted.

"We are looking for a dynamic speaker who can engage and inspire our public health graduates, their family and other attendees," said Juanita Ricks, director of program operations for Student and Academic Services.

Speakers will be selected based on their:

• Work or other life experiences related to the field of public health;
• Work or other life experiences tied to the mission and values of the School;
• Ability to present well and offer a compelling and encouraging message; and
• Reflections of their own career path.

Previous graduation speakers include Ben Danielson, director of the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic (2018); Natalia Kanem (MPH, Epidemiology '90), executive director of the United Nations Population Fund (2017); and William Foege, a public health titan who was instrumental in the successful campaign to eradicate smallpox (2016).

Individuals may submit multiple nominations. Nominees will be considered for the 2019 Graduation Celebration and some may be retained for consideration in a future year. The decision on a speaker will be made by Dean Hilary Godwin.

If you have questions, please contact Juanita Ricks at jmricks@uw.edu or 206-616-3198.