The Tenth Annual Honors Program Public Speaking Contest 2014

OPEN TOPICS-in Informative and Persuasive speaking-

(In observance of Ferris States involvement in THE AMERICAN
DEMOCRACY PROJECT civic engagement themes are highly
Encouraged!)

Criteria and Rules:

This contest is open to all Ferris State Honors students currently enrolled in Comh 121
intro to Public Address. Speeches should run 6-8 minutes with visuals encouraged but
not mandatory. The speeches will be either informative or persuasive on any topic of
contemporary interest. (Due to FSUs commitment to the Carnegie Foundation Political
Engagement Project and the American Democracy Project, topics focusing on any
aspect of political or civic engagement are encouraged, but not mandatory.
The speeches themselves can be easily adapted from the honors sections speech
projects).

Each honors section will elect the top two speeches from their class to represent their
class in the preliminaries, or professors will tap students to participate. Any honors
student currently enrolled in Comh 121 can nominate themselves and are free to enter
as well.

Preliminaries will be scheduled from 6-7PM on Tues. Nov. 18 in rooms in the Starr
Building. (Rooms will be announced in classes). In four preliminary rounds the top
speaker will be selected in each round to advance to the finals in Science 102 at 7:30PM
on Nov. 18
th
.


Finals will be judged by a distinguished judging panel and the speaker awards will be:
$90. Gift certificate for first prize; runners up will each receive a $20. Gift
certificate.

Dress: business casual
Visuals and powerpoint are allowed and encouraged-but students should
allow for possible powerpoint/computer issues and have a plan B!
Good luck!








Honors Public Speaking contest Entry Form

Entry Form:

Name_________________________

Student ID number_________________________

Phone contact and e-mail address______________


Comh. 121 Professor________________________

Entry forms will be delivered by your Communication Professor to Dr. Pattens
Faculty Mailbox.

Questions can be directed to: Dr. Patten 112 Johnson Hall x3621



A note on dress and visuals: Professional or business casual dress is encouraged;
Visuals are permitted, overheads, posters, powerpoint-but have a PLAN B! (powerpoint is
notorious for malfunctioning-so run your major screens on transparencies if possible
with paper backup-the rooms will have either a document projector or an old fashioned
overhead-so bring both!)

A note on judging: judges will be Ferris communication professors as well as staff and
administrators with experience in communication. All will use the standard rubric-but
judges are free to interpret the rubric in terms of their own judging philosophy. All
judges rulings are final. We will make every attempt to ensure you are not judged by
your own professor.

GOOD LUCK!

Entry Deadline: Mon. Nov. 10
th
5PM