Students winners
in public speaking
Four University of Mississippi MBA students out-talked their peers and were declared winners in the recent Speaker’s Edge event, which involved two days of lively public-speaking competition.
Sara Balch of Madison was named the overall Speaker’s Edge champion. Other winners were Brandon Blewett of Houston, Texas, ethical dilemma category; Destri Evans of Newton, Miss., marketplace pitch category; and Matt Burdine of Greenville, Miss., informative category.
The Speaker’s Edge event, which provides 1 hour of academic credit, helps MBA students hone their skills of high-impact speech. They learn to identify the strengths and weaknesses of their personal speaking style and adapt their messages to different audiences and situations.
“I am extremely pleased with my Speaker's Edge experience,” said Gail Sims, who was named “Most Improved” during the competition."
“I enjoyed the peer coaching and interacting with phenomenal coaches. I am grateful for the networking opportunities that took place with the contest judges and the positive feedback from classmates, coaches and judges. This experience will have a lasting impression far beyond my college years.”
Co-sponsored by the School of Business Administration, the Lott Leadership Institute, FedEx Corp., and Extreme Arts and Sciences, the annual competition is in its seventh year. The event recognizes that communication is a vital part of the business world.
The competition features short informative speeches and a seven-minute “ethical dilemma” for which students have only 30 minutes to prepare. And for the first time, this year’s competition included a six-to-eight-minute marketplace pitch, in which students shared their best business ideas with industry leaders.
