Senior Writing major Mikayla Tolliver has been selected to speak on behalf of her fellow graduates at Ithaca College’s 129th Commencement ceremony. This year's ceremony will be held on Sunday, May 19. The Ithaca College Commencement Committee considered a competitive pool of applicants before designating Tolliver as the event’s student speaker.
Tolliver has a concentration in creative writing and a minor in sociology. She is interested in crafting a novel, and plans to work with a creative writing nonprofit after graduation. Eventually, Tolliver wishes to attend graduate school to continue developing her writing.
During her four years at IC, Tolliver has participated in a number of on-campus organizations. She was a member of the sixth cohort of BOLD scholars, co-chaired the Admission Host Committee, and served as president of Buzzsaw Magazine. As a first-year student, she wrote the Ask a Freshman column for The Ithacan.
In 2023 she had the opportunity to work on writing her first novel during her time as a School of Humanities and Sciences Summer Scholar. Additionally, she conducted crucial research on diversity and representation within the young adult fantasy genre.
This year's Commencement ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. in Glazer Arena of the Athletics and Events Center on campus. For more information, visit ithaca.edu/commencement.