The ninth annual Western New England University Public Speaking Contest took place on Thursday, April 13 in the St Germain Campus Center with five undergraduate student finalists delivering their speeches before an enthusiastic audience. Erin Carroll, a senior management and leadership major with a minor in communication, won First Place in this year’s contest. Carroll’s speech, "Do Not Ignore Your Anxiety" was compelling, personal and persuasive, and earned her a $100 cash prize, and a Western New England University t-shirt.
Second place and a $75 cash prize went to Ryann Collette, a first-year pre-pharmacy major, for her speech titled “Why You Should Become a Vegetarian.”
Third place and a $50 cash prize went to Kiara Don, a senior communication major with a concentration in professional communication, for her speech titled "Why Black Lives Matter."
Honorable mention and a $10 cash prize went to Annette Robak, a first-year criminal justice major, for her speech titled “Hang On To Your Childhood,” and Steven O'Brien, a senior communication major with a concentration in media theory and production, for his speech titled “Love Is A Choice.”
The Department of Communication and the communication honor society Lambda Pi Eta organized this year’s contest, and recruited this year's judges. The contest judges included Courtney Miller, a senior communication major with a concentration in media theory and production, and president of Xi Tau, Western New England University's chapter of Lambda Pi Eta; Dr. Karl Petrick, Associate Professor of Economics; and Cheryl Smith, General Counsel for Western New England University and adjunct faculty in the Department of Communication.
