(CANCELLED) 2020 Speech Contest Call for Entries
*** Sorry, all of the 2020 Speech Contests have been cancelled. We will resume in 2021.***
The Benjamin F. Barge, Class of 1866, and Speech at Dartmouth Prizes for Oratory
The Institute for Writing and Rhetoric is pleased to invite entries in two historic speaking contests at Dartmouth College.
In May 2020, finalists will compete for the Benjamin F. Barge and Class of 1866 Awards for Oratory. One senior will win the Benjamin F. Barge award, and one senior and one first-year student will win a Class of 1866 award. One sophomore and one junior will win a Speech at Dartmouth Prize for Oratory. Each winner will receive a cash prize, and all finalists will receive certificates.
How to Enter
To enter the contest, students should adhere closely to the following guidelines:
1. All contestants must be Dartmouth undergraduate students (‘20s, ‘21s, ‘22s, and ‘23s).
2. The first round will be based on a written manuscript or detailed outline of a speech designed to persuade the listeners on any topic.
3. The manuscript or outline must be accompanied by a works cited/reference page, following MLA or APA format.
4. All sources must also be orally cited in the speech.
5. When delivered, the speech should be between 5 to 6 minutes.
6. Speeches must be original works by the student.
7. Visual aids are not allowed.
Entry Deadline
Entry Deadline: Monday, March 30th, 5:00pm.
Students should email their manuscript and/or detailed outline to the Speech Contest Committee at Speech@dartmouth.edu by 5:00pm on Monday, March 30th. Please use “SPEECH CONTEST ENTRY” as your subject line.
Please note your name and class year in your email entry.
Key Dates to Know
Students will be selected from these submissions to present their speeches before a panel of judges.
Students selected for this preliminary round will be contacted by Tuesday, April 6thand will present their speeches on Monday, April 13th between 4-5pm.
From this preliminary round, up to six students will be selected to compete in the Benjamin F. Barge, Class of 1866, and sophomore/junior contests on Thursday, May 21st, 4:30 - 6:45 pm, along with students who have been competitively selected from Institute for Writing and Rhetoric Speech courses.