By Marissa Warden

Andy Ver Steegh ’09 was chosen as senior speaker for commencement after a rigorous selection process. Seniors were either nominated by their peers and faculty or were selected based on their GPA to be considered for the honor. A group of 100 names were narrowed down to four who presented a draft of their speech to a selection committee composed of faculty, staff and students.”I was nominated-I didn’t make the GPA cuts,” Ver Steegh said, jokingly adding, “I might have twisted my roommates’ arm to nominate me.”

The senior speakers are chosen to represent the college and give a speech that would appeal to a wide audience. “They must have a good presence and be a good public speaker,” Dean of Academic Programs Ann Minnick said. “It was a difficult selection; there were many fine nominees.”

When asked the details of his speech, Ver Steegh was hesitant to reveal any details.

“I’m playing it close to my chest right now but I will say it pertains to what we learned at Mac,” he said, joking, “It’s a love letter to the [Café Mac] pizza bar.”

Ver Steegh is a double major in Classics and Political Science and studied abroad at the American University in Cairo, Egypt. He was in jazz band all four years of his Macalester career playing the bass trombone. He had a brief stint as a writer for the Mac Weekly and dabbled in Nordic skiing.

“I was a tour guide so I was actually paid to represent Macalester at one point,” he said.

When asked about his plans post-graduation, “I plan to enter into the wide wide world of my parent’s basement,” he explained.

Ver Steegh emphasized, “I hope that everyone in the graduating class will find something that reflects their experience or that they find valuable in my speech.