Four Bluffton University students are scheduled to compete in the university's annual C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest, at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 7, in Yoder Recital Hall. The event is free and open to the public.
Participating students give a speech of no more than 10 minutes that applies the Christian peace position to an issue of contemporary concern.
This year's presenters, and their speech titles, are:
Jason Frey, a senior from Schuylkill Haven, Pa., on "The Gospel of All Monsters: Loving the Alien Within and Without"; Rachel Giovarelli, a sophomore from Wauseon, Ohio, on "Saluting Combat Barbie: The Danger of Glamorizing War with the Accessory of Propaganda"; Kristen Shelly, a senior from Penfield, N.Y., on "A Case for a Safe Space: Investigating the Potential for a Safe Zone Program at Bluffton University"; and Jake Short, a senior from Stryker, Ohio, on "Peace Journalism: The Futility of Dualism and Sensationalism and How the Church Must Work to Restore the 'Fourth Estate.'"
The winner will earn a $175 cash prize, while the runner-up will receive $125 and the third-place finisher, $100. The top placer also qualifies for a bi-national contest with winners from other North American Mennonite colleges. In that contest, prizes are $250 for first place, $150 for second and $75 for third.
