After being nominated by Bradley Pulles, the retention program director at Student Diversity and Inclusion Services and working on her speech with the Division of Student Affairs, Barron Sanchez will deliver her speech titled “What is the Common Good?” Saturday at graduation.

“I guess (the speech) mainly focused on addressing the rebranding that happened this year,” Barron Sanchez said. “It’s just kind of taking ownership of the new brand.”

Pulles said Barron Sanchez was the first student who came to mind when asked for student recommendations.

“I witnessed really impressive growth and development in Priscila as a young scholar from the time I first met her during her first year at St. Thomas,” Pulles said. “I also think that as a Latina woman, Priscila is able to offer a unique perspective and a story that unfortunately does not often get told at St. Thomas and other institutions of higher education.”

According to Barron Sanchez, there were multiple rounds in the process of selecting the commencement speaker. Once she was nominated, she had to submit an application and an outline of her speech. After making it to the final four nominees, Barron Sanchez wrote out her full speech and presented it.

“I definitely didn’t think I would get chosen. I wrote this in one of my philosophy classes when I was supposed to be paying attention and taking notes,” Barron Sanchez said. “I wanted to have some relevant anecdotes, but not talk too much about myself. I feel like that would be annoying if I was sitting there in the audience and some person was talking about themselves the whole time.”

Although Barron Sanchez has never taken a communication class, she has a background in debating and is no stranger to public speaking.

“I feel comfortable,” Barron Sanchez said. “I hope that people don’t just zone out and that they appreciate what I have to say and that it’s relevant to them.”

With all of the stress that a graduating senior has to undergo and a speech on top of it, Barron Sanchez feels prepared.

“I want them to feel like I do: to feel proud of our institution and being able to take ownership of not only our mission, but the trademark that we’re all for the common good,” Barron Sanchez said.

Maya Shelton-Davies can be reached at shel1181@stthomas.edu