Showcase Information

The Donald C. Sloan Extemporaneous Speaking Contest began in 1955 with the aim to develop strong speaking skills among the young Latter-day Saints at BYU. In 1968, shortly before his passing, Brother Sloan established an endowment fund for the speech contest. He attended Brigham Young College and the University of Oregon. He served a LDS mission to the Eastern States and later served as a branch president and in the high council in Portland. He was a member of the board of trustees of Pacific University. He held national offices in the Nation Security Traders’ Association. He was a director of the National Sales executives, past primer minister of Royal Rosarians, president of the Portland Bond Traders Club as well as Portland Sales manager Club. He served as the Oregon State chairman of the American Korean Foundation and as chairman of the Portland United Nations Week.

Photo by Stephanie Freeman

Donald Sloan was an internationally know public speaker and traveled the world. He met with King George VI at Buckingham Palace, King Gustav of Sweden, former Premier Pinay of France, President Rhee of Korea, the mayor of Barcelona and with heads of other major European cities. Awards given in his name help us remember the importance of developing extemporaneous speaking skills to reach out and bless our fellowman.

Photo by Stephanie Freeman

Tribute to LaVar Bateman by his son, Kim Bateman. Dr. J. LaVar Bateman’s life was one of service to others. As a young boy, after his father died of typhoid fever, he worked hard to accept responsibility and live frugally to help his family. After graduating from Brigham Young University he served his country in the Navy during World War II, married his college sweetheart, Helen Mae Ream, and earned his PhD in Speech Communication at the University of Wisconsin. For 36 years he taught public speaking courses at BYU and coached winning debate teams. He served on the First Honors Program Council, chaired the University Forum Assemblies, and served as chair of the Communications Department. During his tenure at BYU, LaVar served as visiting professor at Michigan State University, the College of the Virgin Islands, and George Washington University in Maryland, and was an assistant to Senator Wallace Bennett in Washington DC. He also took a two-year leave to develop a speech program in Guam. He directed many BYU Travel Study tours to Europe and was the Director of Study Abroad in London. Dr. Bateman served three full time missions with his wife Helen to Sydney, Australia; Hanoi, Vietnam; and Honolulu, Hawaii for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They were also hosting missionaries at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in Salt Lake City. In his retirement years, Dr. Bateman continued to advocate for the speech program and was a guest at many speech showcases. During his career at BYU, Dr. Bateman dedicated monthly investments in a personal life insurance policy for the sole purpose of establishing an endowment that would make a difference in furthering the speech program’s aims. We gratefully give awards in his and his wife’s name, for they always worked as a team, to help us reflect on using our voices sincerely and powerfully to serve those in need.

Photo by Stephanie Freeman

Tribute to Marie Clegg Jones, by her son, Kevin Jones. The Marie Clegg Jones Award was established by her son, G. Kevin Jones, in 2006, to honor her lifetime accomplishments and service. Marie was the first woman on the Men’s Varsity Debate Team in 1948; setting a new standard for women in debate and public address. As an excellent debater and extemporaneous speaker, she traveled throughout the country. In 1950 Marie was chosen by faculty and students at BYU to speak as the student body representative at the 75th year BYU Diamond Jubilee Convocation. To her surprise, the topic of her address was covered by the previous speakers. She therefore discarded her prepared remarks and delivered an impromptu speech entitled, “Gold, Glory, and Gospel,” which earned her a standing ovation. Marie used her voice in many leadership roles and paved the way for better values and understanding throughout the world. Marie was privileged to live with her husband, a foreign service officer and university professor and their three sons in Jogjakarta, Indonesia and Lahore, Pakistan. In Lahore, Marie taught the first university co-ed course in that nation, instructed high level government officials in oral communication, and was elected to the prestigious position of President of the American Women’s Club. Awards given in her name affirm the power of one’s voice in building a better world.

The Donald C. Sloan Extemporaneous Speaking Contest began in 1955 with the aim to develop strong speaking skills among the young Latter-day Saints at BYU. In 1968, shortly before his passing, Brother Sloan established an endowment fund for the speech contest. He attended Brigham Young College and the University of Oregon. He served a LDS mission to the Eastern States and later served as a branch president and in the high council in Portland. Donald Sloan was a successful businessman. He held various civic positions and was a highly influential entrepreneur. He was an internationally known public speaker and traveled the world. He met with King George VI at Buckingham Palace, King Gustav of Sweden, former Premier Pinay of France, President Rhee of Korea, the mayor of Barcelona and with heads of other major European cities. Sloan believed in serving others.  He stated, “In the mighty heart that beats in the body of each of us is the great mystery of life that so few understand. The world is full of lonely people because their heart has not been able to tune in with the hearts of their fellowmen…. You find people that lack courage, and the first thing you know you are caught up in this old philosophy and you begin to think about it yourself.  You begin to learn, and as a minister recently stated, ‘Too many people are trying to have a gold –plated heart.’ I have no ambition to have a gold-plated heart. I only have the ambition to live to serve.” (1962). Awards given in his name help us remember the importance of developing extemporaneous speaking skills to reach out and bless our fellowman.

Photo by Stephanie Freeman

Dr. Bateman loved BYU, the students, and the speech program. His life has been one of service, including the speech students here at BYU. After serving his country in the Navy during World War II and marrying his college sweetheart, Helen Mae Ream, he earned his PhD in Speech Communication at the University of Wisconsin and then joined the faculty at BYU. Brother Bateman taught public speaking and coached winning debate teams at BYU for many years. During his career, Dr. Bateman opened a life insurance policy for the sole purpose of making a difference in the BYU Speech Program. In his retirement years, Dr. Bateman continued to advocate for the speech program and was a guest at many of our speech showcases. The awards given in his name help us reflect on the power of using our voice to serve.

Photo by Stephanie Freeman

The Marie Clegg Jones Award was established by her son, G. Kevin Jones, in 2006, to honor her lifetime accomplishments and service. Marie was the first woman on the Men’s Varsity Debate Team in 1948; setting a new standard for women in debate and public address. As an excellent debater and extemporaneous speaker, she traveled throughout the country. In 1950 Marie was chosen by faculty and students at BYU to speak as the student body representative at the 75th year BYU Diamond Jubilee Convocation. To her surprise, the topic of her address was covered by the previous speakers. She therefore discarded her prepared remarks and delivered an impromptu speech entitled, “Gold, Glory, and Gospel,” which earned her a standing ovation. Marie used her voice in many leadership roles and paved the way for better values and understanding throughout the world. Marie was privileged to live with her husband, a foreign service officer and university professor and their three sons in Jogjakarta, Indonesia and Lahore, Pakistan. In Lahore, Marie taught the first university co-ed course in that nation, instructed high level government officials in oral communication, and was elected to the prestigious position of President of the American Women’s Club. Awards given in her name affirm the power of one’s voice in building a better world.

• You must submit your information to the Speech Showcase Google Survey Form two weeks prior to the showcase. After you submit your response to the above form you will receive the information needed to successfully participate in the semifinal event.
• You are required to turn in a digital video recording of your speech. This can be done on a personal webcam in class, at home, or at the HBLL media center. Your video will need to be posted on your YouTube channel but do not title it with your name, only the title of your speech. Send the video link of your speech recording before the semifinal deadline to speechshowcase@byu.edu
•  You are also required to turn in a detailed full-sentence outline or manuscript, even if you are speaking extemporaneously.  A bibliography must be attached to the outline/manuscript (sources are required for informative and persuasive speeches).
• If you are using visuals, they will need to be clearly seen in the recording or you will need to submit them as an attachment to speechshowcase@byu.edu
• Your speech should be a 5 minute persuasive, motivational, inspirational, or informative (if your speech is more than 30 seconds over, it will not be considered for the showcase).  It must be tasteful and professional in topic, language, and presentation. It is advised that you adapt your presentation to a BYU audience. Some humor is good and encouraged, if appropriate, but topics need to be of substance, not frivolous or offensive. Your speech must be your original work and will be checked for plagiarism.  Your digital recording and outline will be reviewed by our selection committee: Sloan Speech Showcase Review Sheet.

All semifinalist and finalists will be invited to the dinner and receive awards. Please arrive 10 minutes early. Dress professionally, as pictures will be taken prior to the dinner. After the dinner, we will all attend the final showcase. Only finalists will speak at the showcase but both semifinalist and finalist will be recognized.

If you are chosen by the selection committee as a finalist to present at the speech showcase:

• If using the computer for visuals, you must email them 4 days prior to the showcase.
• The program will be digitally recorded and posted on the speech website. You need to sign the Videoreleaseform prior to the beginning of the showcase.
• If anything special is needed or you have questions about the showcase, please contact Stephanie Freeman at speechshowcase@byu.edu

If you are chosen as your class representative, first fill out this survey form.

Student class representatives become semi-finalists for the showcase. They each need to submit a recording of their speech which will be evaluated by the showcase selection committee according to the attached criteria: Sloan Speech Showcase Review Sheet 12

All representatives will receive recognition at the showcase. Both semi-finalist will receive a cash awards. All finalists will need to sign the recording waiver for the showcase: Videoreleaseform

If you have any questions regarding the showcase or forms please contact us at publicspeaking@byu.edu

The showcase speeches should be the student’s original work. Each speech will be evaluated by the showcase selection panel using the Sloan Speech Showcase Review Sheet. Any sources or outside materials used in the speech should be orally recognized. Plagiarized work will not be allowed in the showcase. We will enforce BYU’s Academic Honesty Policy.

Class speech representatives can choose from the following 4 types of presentations:

1. Speech to Persuade or Motivate – Extemporaneous style 5 min. You are required to email a digital recording and a type written full sentence outline with bibliography. Clearly identify sources in your presentation. Visual aids of your choice may be desirable but are not required. Dress professionally for this presentation.

2. Speech to Inspire – Extemporaneous style 5 min. You are required to email a digital recording and a type written full sentence outline or manuscript with bibliography. You are encouraged to use greater stylistic language techniques. Clearly identify sources in your presentation. Visual aids of your choice may be desirable but are not required. Dress professionally for this presentation.

3. Speech to Inform or Demonstration – Extemporaneous style 5 min. You are required to email a digital recording and a type written full sentence outline with bibliography. Clearly identify sources in your presentation. Visual aids of your choice may be desirable but are not required. Dress professionally for this presentation.

Please adhere to the showcase time limitations. All time limits will be enforced. A timer will be provided at the showcase.