It has been said that: “Those who master their words have the power to influence.” This principle was evident during the Second Edition of the CIS University Speech Contest, where public speaking once again became a tool for transformation and personal growth. This event consolidates and reinforces the university’s firm commitment to developing so-called Power Skills: essential competencies for communicating authentically and successfully operating in global professional environments.
On this occasion, the ceremony was hosted by Lucas Murphy, current student and winner of last year’s competition, who not only conducted the event with humor and warmth but also projected an air of self-improvement that comes with getting up on a stage with an authentic discourse in your own right.
A competition that highlights the art of public speaking
First-year students Russell Williams (USA), Mouad Cherrate (Morocco), Mark Berman (Israel), Theo Svistunov (Greece), Zeno Balich (Italy), Gavin Giem (USA) and Diego Cid (Mexico), took on the challenge: to give a compelling, three-minute speech in English without reading text from any screen, in a format that demands honesty and clarity. The diversity of nationalities added richness to each speech, demonstrating that good communication transcends languages and borders.
The jury for this edition, composed of professors Alexandra Ruiz-Gomez, Karyn Suarez, Lauren Giera, and Tracy Wood, evaluated expressiveness, body language, connection with the audience, and depth of the message, among other key aspects.
After a close deliberation, the results were as follows:
- Gold Medal: Theo Svistunov, for his speech entitled “You Should Be More Pretentious,” an honest argument in favor of the value of personal authenticity in the face of social expectations.
- Shared Silver Medal for Mouad Cherrate, with “Rise Up”, about resilience as a guiding force in maturity; and Gavin Giem, with “Culture Shock,” an experiential analysis of the challenges of adapting to new cultures.
- Bronze Medal for Russell Williams, with “Basketball Built Me,” a moving account of how sport opened doors to international education and dreams fulfilled.
In addition to their medals, all participants received certificates of participation, and the top three winners received commemorative diplomas. As part of the first prize, the winner also received a signed copy of the book From Good to Great: Unleashing the Power of Advanced Public Speaking, by communication and leadership expert Professor Karyn Suárez.
A new tradition that has grown even stronger the second time around
During the jury’s deliberation, contest host Lucas Murphy offered a few words of recognition and affection towards his fellow participants: “We believe that to participate in this Speech Contest you need an excellent command of English, fluency in communication, and clear ideas, which is all true; however, most of all you need the courage to get up on stage in front of such a demanding audience,” he said, which initiated a kind and heartfelt applause from the audience for all participants.
The event was also attended by several representatives from Endicott College, CIS University’s main campus in Boston. Among them were Dr. Sara Quay, Provost, and Warren Jaferian, Dean of International Education, who highlighted the maturity, quality, and energy demonstrated by the students throughout the event.
With this most recent installment, the Speech Contest has been even further established as an emblematic initiative in terms of the overall development of the CIS University community. Beyond the competition itself, it represents an open forum for students to put what they have learned into practice, strengthen personal confidence, and find one’s own voice with authenticity and conviction.
CIS University congratulates all the participants for their talent, courage, and commitment. See you next time!