Annual Speech Competition

The Annual Speech Competition is a

Georgia Highlands College tradition.

Welcome!

The 13th Annual Public Speaking Competition was held April 28, 2023.

In 2023, we held the event in person, after a several year period of holding the event online due to the COVID-19 pandemic! We are looking forward to our next event, the 14th Annual, tentatively scheduled for late April 2024.

To participate, GHC students will prepare a persuasive speech on a topic of their choosing (5-6 minutes long). GHC faculty and staff judges determine which speeches advance to the semifinal and final rounds, rewarding those students that advance with GHC themed prizes, GHC bookstore gift cards, and prize money. All competitors also gain valuable experience writing persuasive speeches, delivering a position speech in an academic environment, and communicating widely about an issue they care about.

Please read the rules and instructions page carefully before submitting your entry. Submission will open March 2024.

About the Speech Competition:

The event invites GHC students to prepare and deliver a persuasive speech to an audience of fellow students, faculty, family, and friends. Many of our students learn basic public address theory and practice in our Human Communication course or Public Speaking course. Still, the performative art of speaking in public is one that requires significant practice in front of live audiences to master. To that end, our event is an opportunity for students to demonstrate speech preparation, verbal style, physical delivery, and to build experience in front of unfamiliar audiences.

Questions or comments?

Steve Stuglin – Competition Director – sstuglin@highlands.edu