Speech Event Archive

2024: Speech Contest​

In Spring 2024, BC Talks hosted So You Think You Can Speak: An Impromptu Showdown, the seventh annual college-wide speech contest. The contest featured 17 contestants and one performer. Contestants were challenged on three levels, and viewers voted on which contestants advanced to the next level. After the third level, the BC Talks Committee decided on the top three winners.​

Event Flyer  Event Program  Event Video

2023: Featured Speaker

Over 100 students attended BC Talks: Featured Speaker Showcase on November 1, 2023. Dennard Mitchell, an educational speaker, empowered students. Dennard is not only an internationally recognized motivational speaker, but he is also a student retention specialist and national best-selling author. He is an experienced leadership facilitator gifted in connecting with any audience, relating to them on a personal level, and inspiring them to bring out the best in themselves. Dennard shared practical public speaking tips with our students, A.B.C. strategies of success, secrets to overcoming obstacles, and strategies to create positive and healthy relationships.

Event Flyer  Photo Gallery

2023: Speech Contest

In Spring 2023, BC Talks hosted So You Think You Can Speak: An Impromptu Showdown, the sixth annual college-wide speech contest. The contest featured 20 contestants and four performers. Contestants were challenged on three different levels as viewers voted on which contestants advanced to the next level. The BC Talks Committee decided on the top three winners after the 3rd level.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program

Promo Video  Event Video

2022: Speech Showcase

In Fall 2022 to honor AHCD Pathway's theme of Celebrating Our Strengths, BC Talks coordinated a speech showcase to exhibit the spoken expressions of our student body as it related to topics from 2022-2023 College Read's book, American Like Me by America Ferrara. The book consists of 31 stories about life between cultures, the struggles in establishing cultural identity, the search to belong, and the acceptance of cultures. The showcase featured eleven student performers. The students presented speeches, spoken word, musical performances, and stories centered on the topics of the book.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Event Video

2022: Speech Contest

In Spring 2022, BC Talks hosted So You Think You Can Speak: An Impromptu Showdown, the fifth annual college-wide speech contest. The contest featured 20 contestants and two performers. Contestants were challenged on three different levels as viewers voted on which contestants advanced to the next level. The BC Talks Committee decided on the top three winners after the third level.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Event Video

2021: Speech Showcase

In Fall 2021 to cultivate the spirit of Thanksgiving, we gathered with four guest professional speakers and student performers to give tribute speeches thanking people who have inspired us to overcome obstacles. Each speaker recognized someone who has helped him or her prevail over a personal life challenge. This two-part event opened with professional public speakers showcasing personal tribute speeches followed by a Question and Answer session. The second part of the event was an Open Mic in which fourteen (14) students and faculty gave tribute speeches. This webinar focused on the Collected theme as part of AHCD Pathway's campaign.

Event Flyer  Event Program  Event Video

2021: Speech Contest

In Spring 2021, BC Talks hosted So You Think You Can Speak: An Impromptu Showdown, the fourth annual college-wide speech contest. The contest featured twelve contestants and three performers. Contestants were challenged on three different levels as viewers voted on which contestants advanced to the next level. At the end of the contest, the three contestants were designated as first-, second-, and third-place winners.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Event Video

2020: Speech Showcase

In Fall 2020, BC Talks: Speech Showcase featured two student co-hosts, nine presenters, and two musical performers. The showcase theme of social justice has reverberated in the informative and persuasive speeches, as well as the spoken word performed. Topics of social justice included diversity in media, women's rights, the death penalty, climate crisis, police brutality, LGBTQ+, homelessness, kneeling as a form of protest, and mental health. The passionate and colorful performances exhibited our diverse student body, representing various nationalities and viewpoints. The event was coordinated by the BC Talks Committee and integrated AHCD's theme of We Are One: Coming Together for Social Justice.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Event Video

2019: Speech Contest

In Spring 2019, the themes of BC Talks: Speech Contest were derived from College Read and Literary Festival's featured book, The Moth Presents All These Wonders, presented in conjunction with National Library Week, celebrating the contributions of our nation's libraries. On April 10, 2019, students competed by presenting narrative speeches with at least two oral citations.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Photo Gallery

2018: Speech Contest

In Spring 2018, the themes of BC Talks: Speech Contest were derived from College Read and Literary Festival's featured book, Spare Parts by Joshua Davis, presented in conjunction with National Library Week, celebrating the contributions of our nation's libraries. On April 5, 2018, students competed by presenting informative or persuasive speeches with at least two oral citations.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Photo Gallery

2017: Speech Showcase

In Fall 2017, the themes of BC Talks: Speech Showcase were derived from the College Read featured book, Spare Parts by Joshua Davis. Students were encouraged to present speeches, spoken word, musical performances, and comedy skits centered on the topics of the book. On November 17, 2018, students exhibited various types of spoken expressions.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Photo Gallery

2017: Speech Contest

In Spring 2017, the themes of BC Talks: Speech Contest were derived from the 2016-2017 College Read and Literary Festival's featured book, This I Believe II, presented in conjunction with National Library Week, celebrating the contributions of our nation's libraries. The book is a collection of 75 essays on personal philosophies. On April 7, 2017, students competed by presenting informative and persuasive speeches on experiences or events that shaped their philosophies.

Event Flyer  Guidelines  Event Program  Photo Gallery