On Monday, May 6, the MSU College of Arts & Letters held their annual Vicki Stanton Public Speaking Showcase (VSPSS); a one-day speech tournament highlighting persuasive speeches presented by COM 115 students.

COM 115 is a required public speaking course at MSU, with a current enrollment of around 1,500 students. Each class chose a representative to deliver their 7-9 minute persuasive speech in the showcase. The Spring 2019 Showcase included approximately 60 students. A series of two preliminary rounds narrowed the field to 5 finalists selected to present on-stage in the PSU auditorium.

Spenser Bartholomew, a Student Assistant in the IG-12 Resources and BRB areas of the MSU Libraries, earned 2nd place in this competition with her speech. “My topic was how violence against women has been normalized by our society,” said Spenser. “This year, every single finalist was a girl, which was exciting.”

Congratulations on this exciting victory, Spenser!