Seventeen Hamilton students will compete in the final round of the 2006 Hamilton Public Speaking Competition on Saturday, March 4, from 1-5 p.m, in the Chapel. There will be three speaking prizes awarded, including the McKinney, the Clark, and the Warren Wright Prize. The judges of the competition are Associate Professor of Theatre Mark Cryer, Assistant Professor of Sociology Jenny Irons, Associate Dean of Students and James S. Sherman Associate Professor of Government Philip Klinker, Director of Student Activities Lisa Magnarelli, Charter Trustee Susan Skerritt K'77 and Eleanor Walsh Wertimer, wife the late Professor of Economics Sidney Wertimer, recipient of the College Bellringer Award in 2001 and retired justice of the Town of Kirkland.
The McKinney Prize was established in 1878 by Charles McKinney, who signed an agreement allowing Hamilton to claim a portion of his estate for the purpose of establishing the McKinney public speaking prizes. His intent was to have the prizes "stimulate the undergraduates of said College to diligence and proficiency in that department [oratory]." The McKinney Prize is awarded to one student from each class for a 5-8 minute persuasive speech that has relevance and interest for a Hamilton College audience. This year's finalists are, from the class of 2009, Colin Forwood, Brandon Lemos and Stuart Lombardi; from the class of 2008, Marco Allodi, Britt Freitag and Jovan Livada; from the class of 2007, Michael Blasie, Neal Frei and Benjamin Lee; and from the class of 2006, Matthew Colman, Jonathan Kuhl and Keith Tyler.
The Clark Prize was originally established through a gift from Aaron Clark in 1859 and later reestablished in 1892 through a gift from the Fayerweather estate. It is open to the students in the senior class in all disciplines. The Clark competition includes both an essay and a speech on an assigned topic. This year's topic is "Hamilton: The Second Time Around:" If you were entering Hamilton today as a first-year student, knowing what you know today, what new perspectives might you bring? The finalists for the Clark Prize are seniors Alicia Giglio, Amanda Besinger, Matthew Colman and Katrina Fredlund.
The Warren Wright Prize was established in honor of Warren E. Wright, the Upson Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory at Hamilton from 1977 to 1993. The Wright Prize is awarded to a student who has taken or is currently taking one of two courses in public speaking in the Department of Communication for a six to eight minute informative speech on a socially significant issue of current interest. This year's finalists for the Warren Wright Prize are Alicia Giglio '06, Erik Goulding '06 and Justin Parker '06.
-- by Laura Trubiano '07
