We look for professionals who will make a strong, lasting commitment to our team, our business model, and their career as an educational speaker. If you want to enroll with a booking agency, CAMPUSPEAK is not for you. We are not a speakers bureau. We do better with speakers for whom money is not the chief motivation for wanting to speak to students. For our speakers, the money is great, but it’s about connecting with students, making a difference, and shaping how people think about a particular issue.

Furthermore, we also know that being represented by an agency isn’t the right choice for many speakers. We also know that CAMPUSPEAK’s services don’t fit everyone’s best business model. That is why CAMPUSPEAK created the CAMPUSPEAK Speaker Academy.

The CAMPUSPEAK Speakers Academy program is designed to help create ethical and impactful speakers for the college market. CAMPUSPEAK Speaker Academy isn’t a feeder to our application process for new speakers, BUT it is an excellent investment in your speaking business if you want to learn more about the BUSINESS of the speaker business in the educational market.

The next CAMPUSPEAK Speaker Academy will be on December 6, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, FL. Learn more at campuspeak.com/speakers-academy

CAMPUSPEAK does not have a fee associated with applying to be a speaker. Additionally, CAMPUSPEAK does not charge for advising on our application process and/or providing feedback on application materials. In fact, CAMPUSPEAK offers FREE monthly informational meetings where individuals are encouraged to attend and ask questions about the company, our application process, and anything else. Learn more about this informational meeting above.

If a speaker is selected to join the CAMPUSPEAK roster, there is an Initial Marketing Investment. This investment covers the development of the speaker’s CAMPUSPEAK brand and their first six months of marketing campaigns. This is the ONLY fee associated with joining the CAMPUSPEAK Roster.

If you are approached by anyone claiming they can provide you inside information about the CAMPUSPEAK Application Process for a fee, this person is NOT EMPLOYED BY CAMPUSPEAK or authorized/qualified to provide this information. If you do encounter this, please email [email protected].

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO APPLY:

We require that potential speakers take the time to submit a comprehensive package to us for consideration.

• An online clip of no more than 15 minutes of a presentation you have done in the last two years. The clip can be on Vimeo, YouTube, or on your website, but it should not require our team to download a copy – streaming only. You can submit up to three links, but we may only review the first link. We cannot assess an application without a working video.
• A professional photo that you would use for promotional purposes. If you don’t have one, just send us a nice clear photo that reflects your personality. If selected, we can help arrange a photoshoot.
• Program Titles, topics, intended audiences, and description paragraph of keynotes. Strong applications include learning outcomes for each program.
• References.
• Your website address, if applicable so that we can dig a little further on you, if needed.
• A link to your book or articles you have written, relevant to your proposed speaking topic.
• A list of previous educational organizations (colleges, high schools, educational conferences, etc.) you’ve presented at, if any.
• Time to answer a few questions about yourself, why you’re uniquely qualified to speak to students, and your speaking ambitions.
• At least an hour to devote to completing the application.

ALTHOUGH NOT AN EXCLUSIVE LIST, THESE ARE SOME OF THE TOPICS AND QUALITIES WE ARE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR:

• Unique personal stories that offer teachable moments for others
• Hazing speakers with a powerful personal story, preferably with strong athletic components or an ability to captivate multiple audience types
• Fraternity/Sorority Life Speakers with lots of energy, enthusiasm, and credibility
• Sexual assault prevention and Title IX compliance expertise
• Social justice advocates that help make having tough conversations approachable
• Speakers with a lot of energy and a great sense of humor
• Speakers who have developed a strong, established social media presence
• Keynotes with a strong interactive element
• Special “niche” topics we don’t know exist that you’ve found a demand for!

POTENTIAL SPEAKERS ARE EVALUATED ON A VARIETY OF CRITERIA, INCLUDING:

• Do we need this topic on our roster? Does the demand exist?
• Quantity of business we can expect from the speaker
• Speaking style and comfort with large audiences
• Is there something here that will “click” with college audiences?
• Enthusiasm and overall professionalism/attitude of the speaker
• Realistic expectations for the first year in the college market
• Does the proposed program have educational value?
• No existing or conflicting obligations to other agencies
• Letters of recommendation from other speakers and/or college student life professionals
• Unique expertise and approach on a topic
• Does the speaker exhibit some depth? Or is it all fluff and personality?
• Willingness of the speaker to invest in marketing to ensure their success
• Is the speaker an appealing person? Is he/she friendly?
• Are we the best agency to market this sort of topic and speaker?
• Would a campus pay at least $3,500 for this program?
• Is this speaker interested in an entirely EXCLUSIVE commitment for educational market bookings with us?
• Will this speaker be low-maintenance and easy to work with?

• Duos, groups, or troupes
• Programs that would be classified as more motivational/inspirational than educational
• Programs about “success after college” or in “the real world”
• Fear-based programs that are “doom and gloom” and endeavor to scare audiences
• Programs that have political, religious, or inflammatory themes
• Speakers with a dozen different topics; we want experts committed to a particular topic
• Speakers who are overt about their religion while presenting
• Anything theatrical, in which the speaker acts out characters
• Speakers who are more workshop-oriented (we need keynoters)
• Speakers whose primary qualification is a publication of a book
• Academic-type programs better suited for classrooms
• Programs about foreign cultures or travels to faraway places
• Programs on drinking and driving, or impaired/distracted driving
• Hypnotists, mentalists, jugglers, slam poets, demonstration artists, or other entertainers better suited for an entertainment focused agency

That being said, you could be the speaker that changes our minds. So if you believe you would be a good fit you are still welcome to apply.