BC Talks

The goals of BC Talks are to showcase the public speaking capabilities or spoken expressions of our student body, offer an opportunity for proficient speakers to gain experience, educate students on the fundamentals of public speaking by observing proficient speakers, and promote College Read's books.

Currently, BC Talks coordinates college-wide speech showcases and annual speech competitions. In order to participate, a student must be enrolled as a current part-time or full-time.

Current Speech Event

BC Talks' So You Think You Can Speak: An Impromptu Showdown is the seventh annual college-wide speech contest. Impromptu speaking, also known as "thinking on your feet" or "speaking off the cuff," is the delivery of a speech without much or any time to prepare. To do well, a contestant must discuss the topic appropriately, develop an organized speech, as well as deliver the speech with confidence and within a specific time limit. Contestants will be challenged on three (3) different levels as contestants are eliminated at each level based on the audience's votes. Although viewers will vote on the contestants that will compete after the first two levels, BC Talks judges will decide on the top three winners after the 3rd level.

Date: Tuesday, April 9, 2024
Time: 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Type of Event: Virtual
Launch Meeting

Guidelines  Contest Entry Form

BC Talks Committee

Rosena Beniste
Chair of Committee | Associate Professor, Speech Communication | Central Campus
Laura Raymond
Assistant Professor, Speech Communication | Central Campus
Hannah Moody
Professor, Speech Communication | Central Campus
Richard Louis
Assistant Professor, Speech Communication | South Campus
Ruth Stewart
Adjunct Instructor, Speech Communication | Central Campus

BC Talks Contest Hall of Fame

2023 Winners

Johanna Dominique

1st Place
Speech Professor: N/A

Iris Tumey

2nd Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

Chloe Austin

3rd Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

2022 Winners

Dia Fallon

1st Place
Speech Professor: Shaconna Derico

Louise Gong-McGovern

2nd Place
Speech Professor: Shaconna Derico

Jasmine Berry

3rd Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

2021 Winners

Camille Plummer

1st Place
Speech Professor: Pedro Gonzalez

Joshua Ostergarrd

2nd Place
Speech Professor: Daniel Shears

James Espada

3rd Place
Speech Professor: James Rowland

2019 Winners

Nadjae Williams

1st Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

Jordan Chatmon

2nd Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

Katherine Thompson

3rd Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

2018 Winners

Paulyanna Severe

1st Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

Santavia Lewis

2nd Place
Speech Professor: Laura Raymond

Nadjae Williams

3rd Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

2018 Winners

Latoya Black

1st Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

Stephanie Freeborn

2nd Place
Speech Professor: Maria Hills McParland

Elysia Cairo

3rd Place
Speech Professor: Rosena Beniste

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