Graduate students in CNS 585 (Leadership and Administration in Student Affairs and Higher Education) during the Spring Semester 2016 had to write and present a keynote speech for their Final Exam.

The Assignment was as follows:

“You have been asked to be the keynote speaker at the next NASPA annual conference. There will be thousands of current and future student affairs professionals in the audience, including entry-level, mid-management, and senior-level professionals. The title of your keynote address is “Securing Our Future: Important Advice for Student Affairs Leaders.” In fact, it’s already in the program and your appearance has been highly publicized. Everyone who is attending the conference is looking forward to what you have to say. You are to use the following program (available on Youtube) as the basis for your remarks: "Student Affairs Live: Critical Issues Facing Senior Student Affairs Officers: Lessons in Leadership." Please compose your speech exactly as you would present it at the conference and submit it as a Word document to the “Final Exam” Assignment Tab on Blackboard. You should be able to do this in 5-7 pages. I look forward to reviewing your proposed address to the student affairs profession.”

From their submissions, the instructor of the course (Dr. Aaron W. Hughey) picked the four best submissions. These students were invited to give their keynote speeches at a meeting of the WKU Division of Student Affairs at 9 am on Thursday, October 20, 2016, in the Downing Student Union, Room 3024. This was a division-wide meeting. The speeches were professionally videotaped by WKU Educational Television Services.