L-R: Judge Hong Zhu and first-place winners Patrick Kennedy, Marie Gerges,
and Miles Roberts.
The Department of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC) hosted its 13th Annual Chinese Speech Contest on March 31 in DeBartolo Hall. The event was cosponsored by the Liu Institute of Asia and Asian Studies and the Center for the Study of Languages and Cultures.
Seventeen students from four different levels participated in the contest. They were divided into three groups according to the levels of the classes in which they were enrolled. They used PowerPoint presentations to enhance the performative appeal of their presentations.
First-place winners were Patrick Kennedy, Marie Gerges, and Miles Roberts. Second-place winners Jake Leporte, Jordan Pavlock, and Kate Donohue. Third-place winners and honorable mentions were Kathryn Sherman, Erin Reilly, Tokuyasu Daniel Endo, Eamon Passey, Macy Kerwin, Elizabeth Fry, Christian Northrup, and Ann Hermann.
The contest drew a large and enthusiastic attendance, especially since the contest had been canceled for the past two years because of Covid. The classroom was packed beyond capacity, with many students having to stand. All students enrolled in EALC’s language classes attended the event to watch their fellow students and to provide support.
A distinguished panel of three judges from across campus participated: Professor Nan Da of the English Department, Professor Jun Yang of Mendoza College, and Dr. Hong Zhu, Senior Director of Global Education at Notre Dame International.
At the end of the contest, students gathered onstage to sing the Chinese song "Friends."
At the awards ceremony, winners of 1st, 2nd and 3rd prize of each group were presented with a certificate and a gift card. After the contest, students, parents, and colleagues from other schools joined a reception and offered their congratulations for such an exciting and successful event.