The Edward Everett Oratory Contest is an annual student speech competition.  Students from across the campus prepare speeches on a given topic and compete for a grand prize of $3000.  The guidelines for the competition are below.

Competition Rules - 2008

The student will delivery a persuasive speech on the theme: The Limits of Tolerance in an Age of Diversity.

1. The speech must be an original work of the contestant. Additional sources of information and opinion should be attributed orally in the delivery of the speech. A bibliography must accompany the written speech.

2. The speech is to be ten minutes in length. Speeches that run significantly over or under the time limit may be penalized by the competition judges.

3. The speech must be delivery from memory without the use of notes of any kind.

4. Judges will be asked to evaluate each speech on its strength of ideas, logical force of argument, persuasive qualities, and adaptation to the audience.

5. The student will deliver the speech at the time(s), date(s), and location(s) specified by the competition Coordinator.

6. Two copies of the full speech manuscript and a computer disk containing it in Word format or as a text file are due to the competition director by 5:00 pm on January 22, 2008. E-mail texts may be accepted at the discretion of the Coordinator.

7. The prelimary and semi-final rounds of competition will take place January 25-26, 2008. Five finalists and an alternate will be chosen to continue to final round of competition.

8. The final round of competition will take place on February 21, 2008 at 11:00 am. All Finalists must deliver the same speech entered as it is delivered to the competition director on January 22, 2008. The Coordinator may approve minimal changes.

9. The final round will be open to the public at large.

10. Competitors should note that winning speeches may be disseminated by the College. All speeches become the shared property of the College and the student author.

11. Students who move forward to the final round of competition will be expected to attend a practice round during the week prior to the final competition on February 21, 2008. Failure to attend this meeting, or to make arrangements with the Coordinator, will result in your dismissal from the final competition.  The alternate speaker will then speak in this position.