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 2024
Grand Championship 
January 30, 7:30PM
Robis
on Hall
 
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Congratulations to Mia White, Spencer Prize 2024 Grand Champion!

photo by Todd Balfour

2024 Grand Championship

Jan 30, 2024  7:30pm  ET

MAC Robison Hall

 

Click here to Livestream

 

with special guests, the Mamajamas!

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The 6 finalists each delivered a 5-min. speech to a general audience. A panel of 4 judges selected the Spencer Prize 2024 Grand Champion.

Qualifying Rounds

Nominees from the class of '27 and '26.5 each delivered a 3 minute speech in response to the Spencer Prize Prompt. Faculty/Staff judges selected 6 Finalists from three qualifying events. 

 

Red Night Finalists:

Alison Penner 

Meghasha Dangal 

 

Blue Night Finalists: 

Mia White 

Weronika Wozny

 

Green Night Finalists

Israel Ostos

Juan Salazar

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First-year scholars

step to the mic

Prizes

Grand Champion: $500

Finalists: $100

People's Choice Awards: $50

All participants: winter hat and sticker

Prompt

“Connect something you’ve discovered in a Middlebury class to something you care about. Can you get your audience to care too?”

Judging Critera

Compelling Connection:

Speaker captured the imagination by connecting something learned in class to something they care about.

Persuasive Argument:

Speaker used an efficient progression of thoughts to develop the central concept and establish its significance.

Engaging Delivery:

Speaker maintained a strong connection to the audience using body and voice to clarify and amplify their intent.

 Nomination Process

To compete in the Spencer Prize, first-year students from the class of '27 and '26.5 must be nominated by a Middlebury College faculty- or staff-member by Dec 19, 2023.

 

Nominators are asked to recognize students for public speaking potential as well as current ability, or for their eloquence and engagement in classroom discussions.

Nominators must be Middlebury College faculty or staff

 

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read all about it in . . . 

Spencer Prize video by Zack Einhorn '21

The 2024 Spencer Prize Team

Director:

Exec Producers:

Graphic Design:

 

Promotion Team:

 

 

Music Directors:

 

Photos and Video:

Emcees:

 

 

Judge Liaisons:

Contestant Liaisons:

 

 

 

 

Event Greeters: 

Ben Powers, Assoc Dir., Oratory Now 

 

Alpana Bakshi '26 and Xander Bowles '26

Youness Cheboubi '24, Ines Ineza '27

 

Youness Cheboubi '24, Henry Friedman '24, Sascha Leidecker '24, Max Gibson '25, Sorina Johnston '25.5, Ines Ineza '27,

Emma Dobson '27

Amelia Seepersaud '24, Henry Friedman '24,

Lukka Wolff '25, Erik Budo Uerkwitz '26

 

Max Gibson '25, Emma Dobson '27

Youness Cheboubi '24, Amelia Seepersaud '24,

 Henry Friedman '24, Ben Wagner '25, Sam Medina '25, Shea Brams '26

Liza Toll '24, Sascha Leidecker '24,

Elise Scott '26

Sorina Johnston '25.5, Nathalie Chavez '26,

Liv Davidson '26, Victoria Fawcett '26

Josie Chun '26, Ines Ineza '27

Vlera Hasani '24.5, Sam Medina '25,

Shea Brams '26, Will Beckerman '26

Lily Buren '26, Jordan Kwarteng '27

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"Writing, rehearsing and ultimately presenting my speech were worthwhile experiences I would definitely do again. The audiences at the presentations were supportive and attentive to the point that it almost felt like a big group of friends getting together to swap stories about life. I consider the platform the Spencer Prize has given me a prize in and of itself."    

 

Treasure Brooks, 2018 Spencer Prize Grand Champion

Congrats to Sarina Chitkara,
2023 Grand Champ!

video
digital program
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The Spencer Prize in Oratory Honors the memory of African Studies Emeritus Professor of History and former trustee, John Spencer

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After earning a bachelor’s degree from Princeton in 1953, John served for two years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He then worked at the National Sugar Refining Company, with the Institute of Current World Affairs in East Africa, at the Ford Foundation for Eastern, Northern, and Southern Africa, and as a Peace Corps evaluator for Gambia, Mauritania, and Senegal. His work with the Peace Corps eventually led him to earn his MA and PhD from Columbia University.

“Many current faculty will remember him as a mentor, offering sage advice about how to survive and be exceptional at Middlebury,” said Ted Perry, Fletcher Professor of the Arts Emeritus. "Many students will remember his extraordinarily helpful role in emphasizing oral presentations, a practice he made central to success in his classes. He knew it was a skill they would need in whatever life’s work they chose.”

Former Middlebury President John McCardell Jr. reflected on his many years working with John Spencer: “John was a model administrator, a masterful teacher, a true student and mentor in the field of public speaking (keep your jacket buttoned, never say ‘uh,’ don’t breathe through your mouth). He truly made the field of African History at Middlebury -- students flocked to his courses.”

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