April 6, 2006
Students present stirring historic speeches in annual contest
Landmark oratory brought to life in annual Hervey Ross '50 competition
Worcester,
Mass. - Seven Clark University undergraduates each made powerful presentations
in the second annual Hervey Ross '50 Oratorical Contest, held April 5 in
Razzo Hall. The contest fosters the art of public speaking and oratory and is
open to all Clark students. The theme of this year's contest was "Speeches
on the Theme of War, from 1900 to the Present."
First prize of $500 was awarded to Sara Koehring '08. Her address, "Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Bring the Silence," was first delivered by Martin Luther King Jr., on April 4, 1967. Koehring majors in biology with a minor in philosophy.
Second prize ($300) went to Nikula Gunawardena, whose "Strike Against War" speech was made by Helen Keller on Jan.15, 1916, at Carnegie Hall. Gunawardena'07 majors in geography and economics.
Abhishek Raman '09 garnered third prize ($200) with an "Address to the Nation on the Kargil War Situation with Pakistan," a speech delivered by India's Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee, on June 7, 1999. Raman is majoring in economics and government and international relations.
V&PA professor Gino DiIorio organized the competition, in which students were asked to present a 6- to 8-minute speech originally performed by any world political figure, including candidates for office as well as those involved in political movements. Contestants are allowed to use note cards.
Clark alumnus Hervey Ross '50 sponsors the contest. After the speeches, he spoke to the students about love of public speaking and his experience winning a competition as a Clark freshman. "Clark gave me an expanded view of everything in life," he told them. "You've got to be enthused about what you do, and not just in your job. Your whole spirit is going seven days a week. ... I did pick that up at Clark." Ross then helped Professor DiIorio hand out the winners' trophies.
This year's competition was judged by professors Parminder Bhachu, Anne Geller, Janette Greenwood, Fern Johnson, Mark Miller, and DiIorio.