M.M. Neely Persuasive Speaking Contest Winners Announced

Fairmont State University has announced the winners of the annual M.M. Neely Persuasive Speaking Contest.

The first place winner was Jasmine Patrick, a senior who is working on her R.B.A. She is a graduate of Parkersburg South High School. Her topic was "Burying the 'N' Word." Second place went to Megan Mellott, a senior and graduate of River High School in Hannibal, Ohio; her topic was "Habitat for Humanity." The third place winner was Hannah Omowski, a senior and a graduate of Fairmont Senior High School; her topic was "Amber View." All the winners are Communications majors. The prizes were $500 for first place, $300 for second and $200 for third.

The contest was begun in the 1930s at Fairmont State and Salem College by the former U.S. senator and governor of West Virginia, Mathew Mansfield Neely. As a politician, he fought for cancer research, child labor regulation and other similar reforms. A most celebrated and controversial politician, Neely, who was also quite adept at public speaking, saw the contest as a way to encourage students to speak up for their beliefs as he had in support of his deeply-held convictions.

Now, almost 70 years later, Neely's heirs, specifically his daughter, Corrine Neely Pettit, have endowed the contest in perpetuity. In addition to this contest, the Neely family has shown its commitment to speech education at Fairmont State by providing monies for numerous scholarships to students who major or minor in Speech Communication.

The contest was open to all full-time Fairmont State students who meet the contest's requirements. Participants presented an 8-10 minute persuasive problem analysis based upon extensive research. The students were judged on composition (quality of script) and the delivery or effectiveness of the presentation.

 

Pictured from left to right are Megan Mellott, Jasmine Patrick, Dr. Bob Mild and Hannah Omowski.