MOUNT VERNON — Two Cornell College students will represent Iowa at the Interstate Oratory Competition, the oldest and most prestigious intercollegiate speech championship, in San Francisco on April 26-28.
The persuasive speaking contest, now in its 129th year, accepts two competitors from each state. Cornell is one of only three colleges nationwide sending both competitors: Ryan Struve, a junior from Ankeny majoring in computer science, communications and politics; and Jennifer Potter, a senior from Nevada, Mo., majoring in communications, politics and sociology. Struve placed first and Potter second at the Iowa College Forensics Association State Tournament in February to earn their shot in California.
Both were self-described “hard-core” debaters in high school who now devote their extracurricular hours to speech. For the Interstate Oratory they’ve each spent hours in research preparing a 10-minute speech. Potter’s topic is hospitals’ ineffective use of rape kits. She urges hospitals to employ forensics experts trained in dealing with rape victims. Struve’s topic is the lack of preparation by the United States to survive a biological attack. He argues for more government money to respond to an attack rather than try to prevent it, and suggests citizens lobby their local fire and police departments to stock equipment to treat victims of an attack.
“The judges are looking for a combination of logic with emotion. We have very powerful topics,” Potter says. Struve predicts both will place in the top 15 among about 60 competitors expected to attend Interstate Oratory.
Potter is president and Struve is vice president/treasurer of the Cornell Speech Team, which posted its most successful year in the 15 that Carol Wightman, a lecturer in theatre and communications studies, has directed the squad. Cornell regularly competes against several of the top teams in the country including perpetual national champion Bradley University, Illinois State, the University of Nebraska and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. Three Cornell students competed in 12 events at the American Forensics Association National Individual Events Tournament (AFA-NIET) at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.: Potter, Struve and junior Morgan Wylie of Hayden, Idaho. Potter was a semifinalist in extemporaneous speaking and the Cornell team placed 35th nationally.
“One unique thing about the Interstate Oratory is that it is not always big schools or great competitors. Each state has its own selection procedures and you really do hear the best orators from colleges across the nation,” Wightman says.
Additionally, Struve was named the representative for District 4 of the AFA-NIET. He was chosen by a vote of AFA-NIET member students in the district, which includes North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Nebraska. There are nine districts across the country. He’ll bring student proposals regarding competition rules and tournaments to the attention of the national organization.