WKU News

On Saturday, February 12, multiple members of the WKU English Department served as judges in the Kentucky High School Speech League (KHSSL) Tournament. The tournament took place at Bowling Green High School and consisted of competitions in professional and creative speech, poetry and prose, broadcasting, and more.

Among the judges were English department members Dr. Ted Hovet, Professor Elisa Berry, Dr. Nancy Dinan, Dr. Peggy Otto, and junior professional writing major Zeita Beaver. The judges’ responsibilities were to rank and critique various individual and group speeches.

“I enjoyed the opportunity to serve as a judge for the talented students who participated in the event and am excited about further collaborations between WKU English and KHSSL,” Dr. Hovet said.

Through their service, the department members were able to recruit prospective students and raise awareness towards events and scholarship opportunities within the department, such as the High School Writing Contests, which are held each year and sponsored by the WKU Department of English. The tournament also served as a means for competitors to form connections with students and staff at WKU.

“What I'm attracted to in service is building a bridge between the area high schools and the college, not just for recruitment purposes, but for communication of college preparedness,” Professor Berry said. “As a department, it's really good for us to have visibility in the community.”

The department members believe they were rewarded personally and professionally through their service as well.

“I believe I gained a sense of connectedness, not just to Bowling Green, but the English Department as well,” Beaver said. “This was an opportunity for me to do that, and to also help in a way.”