MAHOPAC, N.Y. —When Craig Brandstetter graduates from Elon University later this month, he’ll be doing more than just receiving his diploma. The Mahopac native has been selected as the student commencement speaker.
Brandstetter, a 3+1 student majoring in finance and business analytics in the Marth and Spencer Love School of Business, will deliver a message of appreciation on behalf of the graduating class of 2025 during the Undergraduate Commencement ceremonies on May 23.
In previous years, the accolade of student speaker was typically reserved for the class president. However, last year, the university opened the selection process to the entire graduating class. Brandstetter was chosen as the senior commencement speaker after submitting an application that was reviewed by a selection committee, which included the Student Government Association president, fellow graduating seniors, faculty, and staff.
From those applications, 10 semifinalists are selected and placed on the SGA’s Spring election ballot, giving every graduating senior the chance to vote. Then, three finalists are invited to share their speeches with the selection committee, and one is ultimately chosen as the student speaker.
And Mahopac’s Brandstetter was that one.
In a conversation with the university, Brandstetter said “it’s an honor to speak for the senior class,” and called the opportunity “one that I felt I couldn’t pass up.”
He added that it will be especially meaningful for his parents, who will get to see him not only walk across the stage but also serve as a voice for his entire class.
Brandstetter recalled being with friends who had just asked if he'd heard any news—when, at that moment, Elon University President Connie Book called him. “It was shocking in that moment.”
Brandstetter’s dad, along with his three brothers, all work in the world of business. The area of study made perfect sense. He chose Elon for its 3+1 Accelerated Dual Degree Business Program, where at the end of the month, he’ll received both his bachelor’s degree in finance and a master’s degree in business analytics—completed in four years.
In March of this year, Brandstetter and two other business school students won the Hanes Brands Challenge during Business Analytics Day, an open-ended competition where students team up and propose AI-proposed solutions for product development, marketing and supply chain efficiency.
The university said Brandstetter had a 4.0 GPA in his master’s program, where he serves as president of the Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society and Beta Alpha Psi Honor Society. He’s also a member of the Beta Theta Pi Fraternity, where he held the position of vice president of finance.
Brandstetter said he’s grown a lot at Elon—gaining real-world experience in his field of interest and taking advantage of study abroad opportunities that helped shape him into the person he is today. His message for his class will focus on just that: Growth.
“I’ve grown up a lot,” he told the university. “The person who I was four years ago is not the same person I am today and that all stems from the mentors and friends that I’ve made here.”
Following his graduation from Elon later this month, he’ll move to Charlotte, North Carolina and will work as a corporate credit risk analyst at Wells Fargo.
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