For more information, contact Caroline Hourin at cehourin@olemiss.edu or 662.801.3995.
Speaker’s Edge
Turning powerful voices into lasting impressions
Speaker’s Edge at the University of Mississippi
The Speaker’s Edge Competition is unlike any other speech event in the country, challenging University of Mississippi students to express ideas, knowledge, and understanding clearly and effectively. Started by UM alumni, the Speaker’s Edge Competition brings industry professionals. retirees, working alumni and students together, requiring students to adapt their messages to different audiences and different situations. UM students spend a week and a half working with world-class communication coaches, discovering the strengths and weaknesses of their own personal style. The program culminates in a two-day competition, where students present three different presentations for a series of judges. A Speaker’s Edge Champion is named for the student performing the best in all three events.
The spoken word remains a critical skill in any industry. Speaker’s Edge has become a hallmark of the University of Mississippi MBA Program here on campus and we are proud to be joined by students from the Patterson School of Accountancy and the School of Law.
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Speaker's Edge Boosts Students' Public Speaking Confidence
OXFORD, Miss. – Graduate students from across the University of Mississippi campus pitched business ideas and presented solutions to complex hypotheticals during the 21st annual Speaker's Edge Competition.
Read "Speaker's Edge Boosts Students' Public Speaking Confidence" Here
Get Involved
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.
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!
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.
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
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.
Speaking Events
Speaker’s Edge culminates in a competition in which students students participate in three separate speaking events for multiple judges. After final rounds with guest judges at the end of the week, winners are announced in each event category. The three speaking events are the Marketplace Pitch, the Ethical Dilemma, and the Team Pitch.
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Marketplace Pitch
Using the centuries old art of Persuasion, students will present their best ideas/solutions regarding pre-defined concerns/challenges within the world of business. This year, presentation topics will fall under one of five areas: Innovation, Productivity, Leadership, Technology or Strategy.
Market Place Pitches: Final Round -
Ethical Dilemma
Knowledge and expertise are only as good as how they are realized in the world. Students receive a case containing a dilemma of ethics within a business setting. They will have 30-minutes to prepare a 3-5-minute response addressing the dilemma, with a 2- minute Q & A from the judges during the live final round only.
Ethical Dilemmas: Final Round -
Team Pitch
We’ve all heard it – employers are looking for leaders, who can work in teams and problem solve. All while writing and speaking about it with skill. This event covers them all. Designed to challenge students to address a critical need within a company, recommend action, create visual support and a team presentation.
Team Pitches: Final Round
Previous Competitions
The 2024 Speaker’s Edge competition took place Thursday January 11 and Friday January 12 in the Jackson Avenue Center on the University of Mississippi Campus.
Live Stream: Final Rounds Ethical Dilemma and Marketplace Pitch
Live Stream: Final Rounds Team Pitch and Awards Ceremony
Schedule of Events
Jackson Avenue Center (JAC)
1111 West Jackson Avenue, Oxford, MS 38655
Thursday January 11
| 8:30 – 9:00 | Breakfast with Cadence Bank |
| 9:00 – 9:30 | Welcome Remarks from: Dr. Elizabeth (Ellie) Moore, Speaking Center Director Department of Writing and Rhetoric Dr. Robert VanNess Faculty Director of MBA Programs School of Business Administration Dr. Jennifer McClure Director of Master’s Programs Patterson School of Accountancy |
| 9:30 – 10:00 | Keynote Address from Eustis Corrigan |
| 10:00 – Noon | Team Pitch Round 1 |
| Noon – 1:00 | Lunch with Mississippi Bankers Association |
| 1:00 – 3:00 | Team Pitch Round II |
| 3:30 – 4:30 | 20th Anniversary Soirée with CBIZ MHM |
Friday January 12
| 8:00 – 9:00 | Breakfast |
| 9:00 – 11:00 | Ethical Dilemma |
| 11:00 – Noon | Marketplace Pitch |
| Noon – 1:00 | Lunch |
| 1:00 – 3:00 | Team Pitch |
| 3:00 – 4:00 | Awards Ceremony and Closing Remarks from: Dr. Stephen Monroe Chair, Department of Writing and Rhetoric Dr. Ken Cyree Dean, School of Business Administration Dr. Mark Wilder Dean, Patterson School of Accountancy |
The 2023 Speaker’s Edge competition took place Thursday January 12 and Friday January 13 in the Jackson Avenue Center on the University of Mississippi Campus. The competition kicked off with a keynote address from David Magee and featured preliminary rounds on Thursday and final rounds on Friday.
Winners
The Speaker’s Edge Champion is named for the student performing the best in both individual events. First place winners are also recognized in Ethical Dilemma and the Marketplace Pitch. The winning team is recognized as a group.
2023 Overall Champion
Holloway Byrd
MBA Candidate
School of Business Administration
Ethical Dilemma
FIRST PLACE: Holloway Byrd
MBA Candidate
School of Business Administration
FINALISTS: Mary Caroline Newman (Accountancy), Elizabeth Scott (MBA), Noah Wyrosdick (MBA)
Marketplace Pitch
FIRST PLACE: Holloway Byrd
MBA Candidate
School of Business Administration
FINALISTS: Faith Adams (Accountancy), Tanner McCraney (MBA), Forrest Smith (Accountancy), Andrew Boyd (MBA), Kendall Runzi (MBA)
Team Pitch
FIRST PLACE TEAM PAPA JOHNS: Baylor Franklin, Tori Whittington, Lizzie Ball, Adam Lalejini
Finalist Teams
Ford Motor Co.: Anna Calhoun, Staten Debruhl, Matthew Merritt, Grace Upshaw
Ace Hardware: Robert Cook, Adam Gremillion, Kendall Runzi, Forrest Smith
Keller Williams Realty: Keith Boudreaux, J.T. Carney, Kylie Harrier, Feraby Hoffman
Video
Final Rounds on Friday were live-streamed and recorded.
Ethical Dilemmas
Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 Speaker’s Edge competition.
Speaker’s Edge 2022 Overall CHAMPION
Elizabeth Tettleton Mason
MBA Candidate
School of Business Administration
After two days of competition, Elizabeth Tettleton Mason, an MBA candidate from Oxford, was declared the overall winner and was awarded a check for $1,000.
“The Speaker’s Edge program is one of the most unique aspects of the Ole Miss MBA program,” said Mason, who earned her bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from UM. “I am honored to be named the overall champion this year and want to thank Katherine Anderson for her generous gift as my award.
“Public speaking has been a longtime passion of mine, largely influenced by my experience in undergrad while traveling in competitive forensics competitions. Our new speech center director, Dr. Ellie Moore, has done a remarkable job bringing Speaker’s Edge into a new era, even in the midst of the challenges of the pandemic.”
Marketplace Pitch Champion
Caitlin Marie Moak
MBA Candidate
School of Business Administration
In the Marketplace Pitch category, Caitlin Marie Moak, an MBA candidate from Canton, Georgia, took first place. She was followed by Mason and Borgen.
“I was honored to participate in the Speaker’s Edge competition,” said Moak, who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and marketing from Ole Miss. “It helped me develop my speaking skills and overcome my fear of speaking in public.”
Moak’s pitch proposed a three-step plan to Amazon’s board of directors to improve the company’s business model to be a better employer.
Ethical Dilemma Champion
Aldyn Ewing
M.Accy Candidate
Patterson School of Accountancy
In the Ethical Dilemmas category, Aldyn Ewing, a master’s student in accountancy from Corpus Christi, Texas, took first place, followed by Mason. In third place was Anna Michele Borgen, an MBA candidate from Heath, Texas, who received her bachelor’s degree from UM in accountancy.
“The Ethical Dilemmas portion of Speaker’s Edge was challenging yet very rewarding,” said Ewing, who earned her bachelor’s degree in accountancy from UM. “I know that competing in this event helped to prepare me for many situations I will encounter during my career as an accountant.”
Team Pitch Champions
Team Olay
Kelly Moran, J.R. Kellen, Walker Cottrell, Trey Sankey, Logan Gage
M.Accy Candidates
Patterson School of Accountancy
In the Team Pitch category, participating students randomly selected companies and applied the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, or SWOT, analysis to evaluate them. The goal was to determine and address points of vulnerability or opportunity and how best to present a solution or highlight a strength.
The winning pitch was from Team Olay, which involved the marketing of a new cruelty-free skin product line targeted to people in their 20s and 30s and using social media influencers to promote it.
Members of the winning team were all master’s students from the School of Accountancy. They are Walker Cottrell, from Columbus, Georgia, who received his bachelor’s in accountancy from Ole Miss; Logan Gage, of Ridgeland, who received his bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Ole Miss; J.R. Kellen, from Lexington, Kentucky, who received his bachelor’s in accountancy from Ole Miss; Kelly Moran, from Martinez, California, who received her bachelor’s degree in business administration from California Polytechnic State University, and Trey Sankey, of Tallahassee, Florida, who received his bachelor’s degree in accountancy from Ole Miss.
Sponsorships for Speaker’s Edge are available for the following:
The Perks | Communication Catalyst $2,500+ | Silver Orator $1,000 | Storyteller Sustainer $500 | Membership $20 |
| Sponser Material Included in Gift Bags | X | |||
| Recognition During Opening & Closing Ceremonies | X | |||
| Logo on Event Signage | X | |||
| Social Media Mention | X | X | ||
| Company Name/Logo Displayed on Website | X | X | X | |
| Speaker's Edge Magnet | X | X | X | X |
Sponsors
Speaker’s Edge would not be possible without our generous sponsors. This year’s sponsors include:
BankPlus Oxford
Corey Knighton
662-371-4425
409 South Lamar Blvd.
Oxford, MS 38655
662-371-4425
Butler Snow LLP
Richard Dye
1020 Highland Colony Pkwy, Suite 1400
Ridgeland, MS 39157
601-985-4513
Rick.Dye@butlersnow.com
Charter Road Hospitality, Inc.
662-801-5239
Hampton Inn Oxford Conference Center
Holiday Inn Express Oxford
Hampton Inn Oxford West
Tru By Hilton-Oxford, MS
TownePlace Suites Marriott
Trent Lott Leadership Institute
William R. Gottshall, Executive Director
662-915-3189
billyg@olemiss.edu
Rankin First Economic Development Authority
101 Service Drive
Brandon, MS 39042
601-825-5335