The University of Mississippi Speaker’s Edge has become an annual event for students and alumni. Centered around developing communication competency for various student populations on our campus, it has become a premier gathering of professionals and students. Whether judging or competing, the take-away effect is one of having experienced an exciting journey toward communication excellence. All who have participated with our MBA Speaker’s Edge can attest to the energy and brilliance that radiate in the halls of our historic campus during this two-day event. We hope you will share this experience and encourage others to join us. Listed below is information on how YOU can become a part of this one of a kind, communications experience.
As a Judge
The Speaker’s Edge program culminates in a two-day competition, where students present three different presentations (Marketplace Pitch, Team Pitch, and Ethical Dilemmas), in front of a panel of judges comprised of industry business leaders. This is where we need your help– as a professional and friend of University of Mississippi, we would like to invite you to be a judge in January’s event. We hope you can join us for this event which ultimately helps our students become outstanding communication leaders in the business world!
We need judges for both virtual and in-person rounds. For the preliminary rounds, competitor entries will be distributed in two 24-hour blocks. In-person rounds will take place on Thursday January 14 and all final rounds will be Friday January 15. You may volunteer to judge online, in-person, or (hopefully) both!
Training for Judges
Prior to the competition, we ask that all judges complete a training module to introduce the speaking events and review the judging process. This module should only take 25-30 minutes of your time (thought it may take longer if you decide to watch all of the sample videos). Once you complete the module, don’t forget to complete the digital acknowledgment at the end. Once you complete the training module, you’ll be cleared to judge for the event.
As a Sponsor
Sponsorships for Speaker’s Edge are available for the following:
- Company Brand Sponsorship Alumni Dinner: $5,000
- Network Reception: $3,000
- Student & Judge Lunch: $2,500
- Judge’s Lunch: $1,500
- Named Sponsor: $500
For more information, contact Caroline Hourin at cehourin@olemiss.edu or 662-801-3995.
As a Graduate Student
Graduate students in the Accountancy and MBA programs have the opportunity to participate in the Speaker’s Edge program by enrolling in Accounting 503 or 516, MBA 603, or Law 758. For more information regarding enrollment in the required Speaker’s Edge classes, contact your advisor or Dr. Ellie Moore.
