The Kent State University School of Communication Studies hosted its first-ever Hyde Park Forum Qualifying Tournament on Dec. 1, 2017, in Taylor Hall. The qualifying competition pits Introduction to Human Communication students against one another using persuasive public discourse with clear calls to action.
The new qualifying tournament will be held in both fall and spring, featuring 12 to 24 students with the best overall persuasive speeches delivered in the Introduction to Human Communication course. Interim Basic Course Director Aaron Bacue and Assistant Basic Course Director Carrie Winters selected the speaker lineup after watching videos submitted by course instructors. Thirteen students delivered presentations about a variety of topics, all with the goals of convincing audience members to support their cause, take action or change a behavior. Six of the 13 advanced to the final round with the top three earning small scholarships. Finalists, in ranked order, included:
- Alexa Kwiatkowski – Sustainability in Fashion (Instructor David Zachrich)
- Javon Miller – Basic Income Guarantee (Instructor Pam Harr)
- Rachel Eldering – Meditation: Why You Should Try It (Instructor Oscar Ramos)
- Leah Carothers – The Glass Ceiling (Instructor Kara Stouffer)
- Mackenzie Matlack – Ocean Pollution (Instructor Carrie Winters)
- Victoria Clement – Negative Effects of Photoshop in the Media (Instructor Kelsey Phillips)
Students in first, second and third place from the fall competition will join the top three students from the spring qualifying contest to compete at the final 2018 Hyde Park Forum in April.
Besides the final six, the other students competing in the Fall 2017 speech contest included:
- Gina Butkovich – Voting: You Can be the Change (Instructor Sharon Storch);
- Sydney Csizmadia – Voting in All Elections (Instructor Sharon Storch);
- Nina DelGreco – The Problem with Captivity (Instructor Dave McClellan);
- Jade Johnson – Why We Should Legalize Physician-Assisted Suicide (Instructor Jake Kucek);
- Ashley Slivinske – Nuclear Power Plants (Instructor Sharon Storch);
- Rick Szalay – Lead Exposure and Gun Sports (Instructor Sharon Storch); and
- Annie Thiese – Joining or Donating to Charity (Instructor Lisa Henderson).
(Watch the top six ranked speeches by clicking the links above.)