Sylvia Mast, a senior biology major and honors minor from Broadway, Virginia, won the C. Henry Smith oratorical contest at 91短视频 with her speech 鈥淎n Exploration of Language鈥擱ecognizing Harm in Silencing the 鈥楶olitical鈥� Voice of the Church.鈥�
She will receive a cash prize and entry in the bi-national competition with winners from other Mennonite-related colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.
The annual contest, established in 1974 by the directors of the C. Henry Smith Trust, offers students an opportunity to discuss the application of the Christian peace position to contemporary concerns in an 8-10-minute speech.
Judges awarded a tie for second place to Cassidy Bontrager, a senior congregational and youth ministry major with minors in gender studies and peacebuilding from Wellman, Iowa, with 鈥� What are you bringing to the table?鈥� and聽Lydia Haggard, a junior Biblical studies major from Norristown, Pennsylvania,with 鈥淕et creative with creation care!鈥�
Two other students also competed:
- DeVante Dews, a senior liberal arts major from Lynchburg,Virginia, presented 鈥淔rom Victimhood to Empowerment.鈥�
- Jacob Myers, a first-year environmental sustainability and bible major from Archbold, Ohio, presented 鈥淧eace between Us: Shalom and Conversation in the Ohio Mennonite Conference.鈥�
Judges of the contest were Phil Kniss, senior pastor of Park View Mennonite Church;聽Ervin Stutzman, former executive director of Mennonite Church USA and former dean of Eastern Mennonite Seminary; and Amy Knorr, peacebuilding practice director at 91短视频’s Center for Justice and Peacebuilding.
The intercollegiate competition is administered by the Peace and Justice Ministries of Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). C. Henry Smith was an American Mennonite historian and professor at Mennonite colleges and the University of Chicago. He taught history for nearly 50 years at the collegiate level, and was well-known for his numerous books on Mennonite history and his particular attention to the peace commitments of the Mennonite tradition.
91短视频 has participated in the event since 2003, with the exception of 2015. 91短视频 students have won the grand prize at the bi-national level in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2011.
Caleb Schrock-Hurst, 91短视频鈥檚 2018 contest winner, placed second in the bi-national C. Henry Smith Oratorical Contest with his speech titled 鈥溾�業s This a Bonhoeffer Moment?鈥�
The contest is sponsored by 91短视频 Bible and religion, language and literature, and peacebuilding and development programs.