Forty-seven faculty, staff, students, and community members gathered for the Public Speaking Contest in the Torian Room on April 24, 2025. Five students from across the college delivered speeches developed in sections of RHET 101: Public Speaking taught by Profs. Jamie Capuzza, Melody Lehn, and Sean O’Rourke in Easter 2024 and Advent 2024. In each section, students voted on a class “champion” to represent them in the contest. The 2025 speakers were:

  1. Eliza Dieck, a junior studying Rhetoric, who delivered:  “The ‘Fairness’ of the Fairness Doctrine: A 21st Century Reexamination”; 

  2. Lizzy Donker, a junior studying International and Global Studies and Rhetoric, delivered “Navigating the Post-Truth Era: The Role of Journalism in Our Lives”; 

  3. Annabel Eppes, a sophomore studying English and Rhetoric, delivered “Closing the Achievement Gap”;

  4. Erin McLaughlin, a junior studying Politics and Rhetoric, delivered “Sewanee Doesn't Need YikYak”;

  5. AJ Stacey, a first year student studying English and Neuroscience, delivered  “Flooding, Electricity, and Sustainability: The Critical and Controversial Role of Dams in the Southeastern United States.”

A superb judging panel featuring Vienna Marcus (Winner of the 2023 Public Speaking Contest), Dr. Terry Papillon (Professor of Classics and Rhetoric), and Rev. Warren Swenson (Associate Director of SUMMA Theological Debate Camp and Visiting Instructor of Rhetoric) had the difficult decision of selecting the winners. Congratulations to AJ Stacey (First Place), Erin McLaughlin (Second Place), and Eliza Dieck (Third Place), and to our two terrific finalists Lizzy Donker and Annabel Eppes!

Back Row (Left to Right): Lizzy Donker, Erin Mclaughlin, Annabel eppes, aj stacey, and rev. warren swenson & front row (left to right): Eliza Dieck, Vienna Marcus, and Dr. Terry Papillon

Sewanee Purple advisor Lee Hancock (C’81) attended the contest, and had this to say: “I think the speakers’ research was impressive and their presentations were spot-on. They handled hard questions on the fly, and that is a difficult thing to do for anyone facing an audience. I thought their composure and responses were more than I expected.”

Read more about the Festival of Speaking & Listening here! Information about the 2026 Festival will be available in early Easter 2026.