Salutatorian

Salutatorian is an academic title given in Armenia, the Philippines, Canada and the United States to the second-highest-ranked graduate of the entire graduating class of a specific discipline. Only the valedictorian is ranked higher. This honor is traditionally based on grade point average (GPA) and number of credits taken, but consideration may also be given to other factors such as co-curricular and extracurricular activities. The title comes from the salutatorian's traditional role as the first speaker at a graduation ceremony, delivering the salutation (where the valedictorian, on the other hand, speaks last, delivering the valediction). In a high school setting, a salutatorian may also be asked to speak about the current graduating class or to deliver an invocation or benediction. In some instances, the salutatorian may even deliver an introduction for the valedictorian. The general themes of a salutation and valediction are usually of growth, outlook towards the future, and thankfulness.{{cite web|url=https://www.boston.com/section/news|title=The latest Boston, local and national news|author=John-Waller|date=11 January 2016|website=Boston.com|access-date=17 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.speech-topics-help.com/salutatorian-speech.html|title=10 Salutatorian Speech Ideas Multi-Functional • My Speech Class|date=12 May 2018|website=Speech-topics-help.com|access-date=17 July 2018}}{{cite web|url=http://www.best-speech-topics.com/example-of-a-valedictorian-speech.html|title=Example of a Valedictorian Speech|website=Best-speech-topics.com|access-date=17 July 2018}}

College

= Latin salutatorian =

At Harvard University{{Cite web |last=Mineo |first=Liz |date=2024-05-20 |title=Student Commencement speakers offer glimpse of speeches |url=https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2024/05/student-commencement-speakers-offer-glimpse-of-speeches-harvard-class-2024/ |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=Harvard Gazette |language=en-US}} and Princeton University,{{Cite web |last=Freeman |first=John |last2= |last3= |first3= |date=2024-05-08 |title=2024 Commencement Salutatio by John Freeman (Latin and English) |url=https://www.princeton.edu/news/2024/05/28/2024-commencement-salutatio-john-freeman-latin-and-english |access-date=2025-02-22 |language=en}} a Latin orator, often a classics major, is chosen for his or her ability to write and deliver a speech to the audience in that language. At Princeton, this speaker is known as the "Latin salutatorian". At Harvard the Latin oration is called the "Latin Salutatory" and is the first of three student orations, and fulfills the traditional function of salutation. These traditions date from the earliest years of the universities, when all graduates were expected to have attained proficiency in Latin{{Cite web |title=Harvard Mirador Viewer |url=https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:425511990$1i |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240212183321/https://iiif.lib.harvard.edu/manifests/view/drs:425511990$1i |archive-date=2024-02-12 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=iiif.lib.harvard.edu}} and Greek.{{Cite web |last=Driscoll |first=Timothy |title=Research Guides: Early Curriculum at Harvard: Historical Sources: Introduction and Historical Overview |url=https://guides.library.harvard.edu/hua/earlycurriculum |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=guides.library.harvard.edu |language=en}}

Notable Latin salutatorians at Harvard include T.S Eliot in 1909 and Erich Segal in 1958.{{Cite news |last=Temko |first=Ned |date=2010-01-19 |title=Erich Segal obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/books/2010/jan/19/erich-segal-obituary |access-date=2025-02-22 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}

= Notable salutatorians =

James Garfield, the 20th President of the United States (Williams College, Massachusetts, 1856){{Cite web |last=TFFCM |date=2021-08-04 |title=Happy Birthday President Garfield: James Garfield, 20th President of the United States |url=https://theforgivenessfoundation.org/2021/08/04/happy-birthday-president-garfield-james-garfield-20th-president-of-the-united-states/ |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=The Forgiveness Foundation |language=en-US}}
Walter O'Malley, owner of the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers from 1950 to 1979 (University of Pennsylvania, 1926){{Cite web |last=Klitzman |first=Zach |title=Ruth, Koufax, Aaron ... O'Malley |url=https://www.thedp.com/article/2008/01/ruth_koufax_aaron_._omalley |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=www.thedp.com |language=en-us}}
Aravind Adiga, author, winner of the 2008 Man Booker Prize (Columbia College, Columbia University, 1997){{Cite web |title=Columbia Daily Spectator 4 April 1997 — Columbia Spectator |url=https://spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu/?a=d&d=cs19970404-01.2.8&e=-------en-20--1--txt-txIN------- |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=spectatorarchive.library.columbia.edu}}

Notable high school salutatorians

Bettie Page, pin-up model and Playboy Playmate (Hume-Fogg High School, Tennessee, 1940){{cite web |title=Biography - Bettie Page |url=http://www.bettiepage.com/about/biography2.html |access-date=17 July 2018 |website=Bettie Page}}{{cite web |date=21 October 2012 |title=Darkwaterbearer - Life is like a box of chocolates |url=http://my.opera.com/christelharper/blog/?startidx=30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021055525/http://my.opera.com/christelharper/blog/?startidx=30 |archive-date=21 October 2012 |access-date=17 July 2018}}
Evan Mecham, former Governor of Arizona (Altamont High School, Utah, 1942){{Cite web |title=Governor Evan Mecham Impeachment Papers 1986-1988 Mecham, (Governor Evan Mecham) Papers |url=http://azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/dfc/AzULawGovernorEvanMechamImpeachmentPapers.xml;query=;brand=default |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=azarchivesonline.org|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231015031508/http://azarchivesonline.org/xtf/view?docId=ead/dfc/AzULawGovernorEvanMechamImpeachmentPapers.xml;query=;brand=default|archive-date=October 15, 2023}}
Jesse L. Brown, first African American Officer to be killed in the Korean War, (Eureka High School, Mississippi, 1944){{Cite book |last=Gubert |first=Betty Kaplan |url=https://archive.org/details/distinguishedafr00gube/page/304/mode/2up |title=Distinguished African Americans in aviation and space science |last2=Sawyer |first2=Miriam |last3=Fannin |first3=Caroline M. |date=2002 |publisher=Westport, Conn. : Oryx Press |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-1-57356-246-1}}
Georgie Anne Geyer, journalist and foreign affairs columnist (Calumet High School, Illinois, 1952){{cite web |title=Illinois State Society of Washington, DC |url=http://illinoisstatesoceity.typepad.com/my_weblog/2007/02/index.html |access-date=17 July 2018 |website=Illinois State Society of Washington, DC}}
Connie Francis, singer (Belleville High School, New Jersey, 1955){{Cite web |title=archives.nypl.org -- Connie Francis papers |url=https://archives.nypl.org/mus/181277 |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=archives.nypl.org}}
Robin Roberts, newscaster (Pass Christian High School, Mississippi, 1979){{cite web |date=6 January 2006 |title=Robin Roberts Goes Back Home |url=https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/HurricaneKatrina/story?id=1144494&page=1 |access-date=17 July 2018 |website=ABC News}}
Michelle Obama, former First Lady of the United States (Whitney Young High School, Illinois, 1981){{cite web |title=Michelle Obama, Salutatorian, Graduation Pose at Whitney Young High School in Chicago (1981) and Michelle Obama Today |url=http://www.snakkle.com/galleries/before-they-were-famous-stars-snakkle-hands-out-diplomas-to-these-famous-celebrity-college-high-school-graduation-graduates-photo-gallery-then-and-now/michelle-obama-yearbook-senior-year-young-graduation-1981-red-carpet-2012-photo-split/ |access-date=17 July 2018 |website=Snakkle.com}}
John Legend, singer-songwriter (North High School, Ohio){{Cite web |last=Samuels |first=Keithan |date=2024-05-07 |title=John Legend Receives Honorary Doctorate From Loyola Marymount University |url=https://ratedrnb.com/2024/05/john-legend-honorary-doctorate-loyola-marymount-university/ |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=Rated R&B |language=en}}
Carrie Underwood, singer-songwriter (Checotah High School, Oklahoma, 2001){{Cite web |title=Carrie Underwood - Pictures, Rumors Carrie Underwood from American Idol Updated |url=http://www.buddytv.com/carrie-underwood.aspx |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090412224542/http://www.buddytv.com/carrie-underwood.aspx |archive-date=2009-04-12 |access-date=2009-04-26}}
Richard Sherman, NFL player for the Seattle Seahawks (Dominguez High School, Compton, California, 2006){{Cite web |title=Richard Sherman, NFL All-Pro, Joins Advisory Board |url=https://www.oxeiabiopharma.com/news/summer-retreat-x7bgc |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=Oxeia Biopharmaceuticals |language=en-US}}
Norris Cole, basketball player (Dunbar High School, Ohio, 2007){{Cite web |title=Norris Cole overcame lack of attention, only one scholarship offer to become successful pro |url=https://www.nba.com/pelicans/news/norris-cole-overcame-lack-attention-only-one-scholarship-offer-become-successful-pro |access-date=2025-02-22 |website=www.nba.com |language=en}}
Otto Warmbier (Wyoming High School, Wyoming, Ohio, 2013){{cite web |author=Sparling, Hannah |date=2017-06-19 |title=Otto Warmbier, imprisoned in North Korea, dies in U.S. |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2017/06/19/otto-warmbier-dies/410135001/ |access-date=2017-06-20 |publisher=The Cincinnati Enquirer at USA Today}} "There, in Wyoming, Ohio, Otto Warmbier was a standout soccer player and a 2013 salutatorian at Wyoming High School, his alma mater."

References

Category:Academic terminology

Category:Academic honours

Category:Qualifications