Eight Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus (IUPUC) communication studies students competed for scholarship funds during the biannual “SpeakEasy” competition at 11 a.m. on Friday, Dec. 5 at the Columbus Campus, Learning Center.

Micah Simonton won First Place with a $200 awarded scholarship; Benjamin Walker won the Second place award with a $150 scholarship, and Megan Crenshaw was the third place winner of a $100 scholarship. Each of the winning cash awards is applied towards their 2016 Spring tuition.

All student participants in the 2015 SpeakEasy names, city or town, and speech topics include:

Nathan Stevens—Flat Rock  |  Jet Engine Propulsion

Benjamin Walker—Columbus  |  Lisbon, Portugal Earthquake 1755

Heather Lasley—Seymour  |  Bats

Megan Crenshaw—Columbus  |  Infiltration of Advertising

Elizabeth Padfield—Columbus  |  Online Dating

Jonathan Gassaway—Columbus  |  Alexander the Great

Micah Simonton—Columbus  |  The Sport of Curling

Joseph Van Sickle—Corydon  |  Scotch Whiskey

Their classmates and instructors nominated the students selected for the competition based on the quality of their public speaking skills in the classroom.

“We continue to see the best of the best in our public speaking classes come to compete in this event, and continue to be amazed at the quality of the content presented and the delivery of such content. This event represents academic competition on a grand scale,” said Matt Rothrock, coordinator of the university’s Academic Resource Center.

Students were judged by their delivery skills, speech structure, visual aids, and overall presentation style. Judges for the competition include:

Amy Laker
Scholarship Manager at The Heritage Fund—
Community Foundation of Bartholomew County

Douglas G. Gardner, PhD
Lecturer in History
Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus

Honorable Bill Bailey
Former Mayor
Seymour, Indiana

Vickie Welsh-Huston, MA
Director of General Studies and Honors Program
Indiana University-Purdue University Columbus

“Effective communication skills are essential in today's increasingly competitive job market.  The SpeakEasy is an excellent way to showcase the hard work that IUPUC students are doing in their public speaking classes,” said Dr. Anna Carmon, assistant professor of communications studies and coordinator of the communications studies program. Additionally, Carmon thanked all attendees at the SpeakEasy by saying, “We appreciate your support of such an important event for the Division of Liberal Arts.” She also shared, “There were more than 180 people in attendance!”

This free event was open to the public and held in the Columbus Learning Center Lecture Hall & Auditorium.

For more information, please contact Dr. Anna Carmon, professor of communication studies, at acarmon@iupuc.edu or (812) 348-7213 or Matt Rothrock, Academic Resource Center Coordinator, at mcrothro@iupuc.edu or (812) 375-7528.