Speech Showcase

What is Speech Showcase?

Every fall and spring semester, the best speaker from each of the 25 or so sections of Principles of Public Speaking (Comm. 1020), a general education class, battle it out on Selection Saturday to become a finalist during the Speech Showcase sponsored by the Department of Communication. Five finalists perform their speeches in front of a crowd of hundreds and receive a small cash prize but big bragging rights.


Fall 2023

The Speech Showcase finalists are:

  • Gracie Stephenson: Birth Control: Not Just a Woman's Responsibility
  • Lyndee Thornell: One Rock at a Time
  • Marin Guest: Positive Thinking: The Light All Around Us
  • Sunny Jensen: More Than Two: Why Gender as a Spectrum is Better
  • Mert Kilic: Genocide: The Unjust Treatment of the Palestinians 

Spring 2023

The Speech Showcase finalists are:

  • Ethan Smith: Becoming the Hero of Your Own Story
  • Hailey Powell: Yes You Can
  • Rebecca Chowen: Child Marriage in the United States
  • Audrey Call: How to Read a Textbook (Backwards)
  • Carson Volk: Legalizing Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy

Fall 2022

The Speech Showcase finalists are:

  • Elly Mower: The Spectrum
  • Morgan Poorte: Accepting Transgender Identities
  • Joseph Trotter: Stop Being a Hater
  • Kamryn Shepherd: Stopping the Spread
  • David Carillo: Darkness Can Show Us the Light

Additional semi-finalists selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Rebecca Behunin, Aaron Bornholdt, Megan Bryan, Matthieu Buckler, Porter Lance, Morgan Laub, Sara Nielson, Alayna Ruiz, Joseph Stamps.

Spring 2022

The Speech Showcase finalists are:

  • Amberlee Stewart: The Power of Perseverance
  • Daniela Imbrett: The Immigrant Dream
  • Coleman Barrett: Breadth of Love
  • Kobe Hales: Remembering Grant
  • Ky Jackson: DID - Deceivers in Denial

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Coleman Barrett, Jillian Boswell, Kobe Hales, Daniela Imbrett, Jacob Isom, Ky Jackson, Makena Mecham, Andrew Rich, Amberlee Stewart, Lauren Wood, Alyssa Zimmerman.

 

Fall 2021

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Lillyanna Nunley: The System
  • Audrey Spendlove: Whose Land is it, Anyway?
  • Celecia Peterson: Immersing Yourself in Opportunity
  • Shelly Smith: Hunger Knows No Boundaries
  • Conner Wangsgard: Winning Them Over

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Karina Barboza, Remi Goodfellow, Hunter Jex, Dillon Johnson, Masha Mwanganyi, Emily Shelton, Robby Talbot.

 

Spring 2020

Because campus was shut down in Spring Semester 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Speech Showcase was canceled. However, the best speakers from 10 COMM 1020 classes were recognized in their class. They included: Trey Valencia, Daniel Pack, Conner Richter, Kaili Legg, Matthew Dains, Dallin Breakfield, Birdy Eames, Synthea Hardister Wood, Alexis Giles, and Sydney Hansen.

Fall 2019 

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Emily Batchelor: Don't Got Milk?
  • Maren Dawson: Why the US Should Enact an Opt-Out Organ Donation System
  • Eli Beard: Driving: A Daily Death Sentence
  • Aubrey West: Never Diet Again
  • Carlie Lythgoe: Too Much of a Good Thing

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Cole Anderson, Alyssa Baker, Sophie Beck, Shae Blair, Devn Bringard, Brandy Buck, Hailee Carter, Emily Feveryear, Justic Geiselmayr, Ashlyn McNeely, Jared Smith, Leah Smith, Kalina Vang, Maddison Walters, Destiny Wren, Olivia Yates.

 

Spring 2019 

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Colten Clark: Our Responsibility: Protecting Natural Resources
  • Cameron Clifford: Open the Door on Mental Health Issues
  • Cade Denton: Our Troops
  • Mallory Thomas: Self-Care: Not a Luxury, but a Priority
  • Brycen Whiteley: The Effects of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Jereniss Alcantar, Jasmin Balahadia, Briana Bassett, Donald Beard, Miranda Bolick Preston, Noah Bridge, Tyler Browning, Colten Clark, Cameron Clifford, Cade Denton, Summer Garlick, Angela Mayerle, Jaxson Metcalfe, Catie McIntosh, Catherine Sanchez, Steven Sandoval, JC Sessions, Alexia Stanbridge, Lyle Stewart, Mallory Thomas and Brycen Whitely.

 

Fall 2018 

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Peter Eck: The Importance of Political Participation
  • Anthony Frazier: Drug Legalization: The Solution to Overcrowded Prisons
  • Emma Harris: Just Breather
  • Lucy Kunzler: Pages Before Post
  • Megan Coles: Ogden: A Sanctuary City

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Sydney Alvord, Dallin Arave, Berenice Banuelos, Sterling Barlow, Jessica Davis, Ashlee Dillon, Sequoia Dixon, Riley Ferrin, Jennifer Greenlee, Rebecca Gonzales, Ashlee Guymon, Brittney Jewett, Marisa Rodriguez, Elizabeth Shellabarger, Jordan Silotti and Sydney Steele.

 

Spring 2018

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • John Keefer: The Importance of Progression
  • Ariana Presher: When Words Fail The Arts Speak
  • Jayna Scadden: Changing the World Through Kindness
  • Rieley Frederick: Cake
  • Liberty Lockett: 98 Seconds to Believe

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were McKenzie Burrows, Ian Duncan, David Ellis, Courtney Hayes, Nichole Jensen, Zachary Jensen, Shardae Jones, Spencer Lunt, Christian Miconi, Mikenna Nettle, Brilee Palmer, Kathryn Redd, Patrick Robello, Ellie Robison, Stephanie Schouten and Daulet Yelemessov.

 

Fall 2017

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Colton Bell: The Magic of Perception
  • Taylor Montierth: Financial Stability and the Overall Quality of Life
  • Rebekah Linford: This is the Place: Where it isn't Safe to be a Child
  • Noah Bratton: College Campuses and the Threat to Freedom of Speech
  • Travis Monson: Stereotypes are a pain in the Asperger's

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Breanna Bodle, Riley Cearley,   Raphael Even-Hen, Nick DiPrima, Alyssa Hansen, Olivia Hicks, Sydnie Howarth, David Kristensen, Mikaela Martinez, Mitch Parkinson, Dallin Saunders and Kaitlyn Spencer.

 

Spring 2017

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Geoff Hasty: Correcting our Correctional System
  • Taylor Dawson: Monsters of the Mind
  • Megan Christensen: Giving Foster Children a Voice
  • Mykell Rivera: Worthy of Your Dreams
  • Samantha Bunderson: Recognizing Signs and Symptoms of Child Abuse

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Karleen Bogart, Samantha Brailsford, Savanah Finch, Jenny Hawkins, Hannah Huffman, Austin LaFleur, Lisah Mounga, Vasiliki Papadopoulou, Michael Phelps, Nichole Rogers, Auston Tesch, Alexandria Wilkes, Gavin Wilkey and Karlianne Whittington.

 

Fall 2016

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Jade Cheyenne: What is the Price You are Willing to Pay for a College Education?
  • Sonja Schuette: Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
  • Tamara Higgs: Protecting Children and Families from Pornography
  • Skyler Clark: The Power of Praise
  • Kailey Christensen: Bail
  • JJ Bitton: Gender Wage Gap

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Jack Brown, Jack Burton, Ryan Christ, Jace Colby, Connor Dalley, Jayden Fulmer, Kodi Harrop, Jared Haslem, Timothy Isom, Jared Johnson, Parker Langeveld, Caitlyn Larsen, Jacob Lowe, Richard Nielson, Lindsey Oliva, Ryan Roberts, Steven Sanchez, Joshua Schlichte, Sonja Schuette, Kenna Stansfield, Keaton Wight.


Spring 2016 

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Kierstin Pitcher: Failure of family courts
  • Michelle Miles: Victims of sexual assault
  • Colt Florence: Negative effects of social media
  • Marin Tarbox: Discrimination of children of LGBT couples
  • Mike Fifer: The importance of recycling
  • Tony Villalba: Utah paradox – happy and sad

The other students selected to compete in Selection Saturday were Nathan Bateman, Giovanna Bonella, Michael Conn, Emily Eldredge, Brock Embley, Natalie Fuchs, Rachel Halverson, Caitlin Hammon, Penny Hansen, Natalie Heiner, Tara Hoellin, Jenna Jay, Mitchell Keahey, Courtney Kirkendall, Megan Luke,  Janet Oviatt, Shawnee Tebbs and Ethan Willie.

The Weber Speaks participants included:

  • Justin Cypers
  • Collin Devino
  • Nicholas Giarman
  • Marissa Hinrichs   

Fall 2015

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  •  Holly Morphet: Self harm
  • Aaron Cook: Insect consumption
  • Trevor Grayson: Learning disabilities
  • Nathan Tinsley: Arts funding
  • Kristine Bowman: Smile
  • Lindsey Moss: Active-shooter response

The Weber Speaks participants included:

  • Colten Ferrin
  • Carver Nicholas
  • Wisper Pentz
  • Jesse Saltzgiver
  • Oliver Schick
  • Connor Simmons
  • Tyler Wilson
  • Dallyn Zaugg

Spring 2015

The Speech Showcase finalists included:

  • Olivia Shaw
  • Joshua Willden
  • Chad Colby
  • Caleb Heder
  • Jillian Quilter

Honorable mention awards went to Aubrey Snelson, Matthew Wilkinson and Delaney Woodfield. The semifinalists were Patricia Danklef, Kenneth Gordon, Mosiah Gonzalez, Christopher Montoya, Jericho Pineda, Mike Rose, Tyson Jex, Jason Squire, Rhett Steadman, Richard Mickelsen and Brennan West. To watch the speeches of the five finalists, see https://wsustudio76.com/speech-showcase-2015-2/.
 

The Weber Speaks participants included:

  • Jocelyn Adams
  • Ana Caceras-Moldonado
  • Cara Darr
  • Brandon Goodrich
  • Dawn Goss
  • Brandon Hyer
  • Brady Libby
  • Alexa Peterson
  • Hayley Waldbillig

 

Get Involved!

Connect with a faculty advisor:

Alex Lancaster, Ph.D.
alancaster@weber.edu
EH 348
801-626-8937

Brent Warnock
brentwarnock1@weber.edu
EH 363
801-626-7873