2026
Grand Championship
Tues, Jan 27, 7:30pm
Wilson Hall,
McCullough Student Center
Congratulations to Ranyely Gil Rojas, Spencer Prize 2025 Grand Champion!
photo by Todd Balfour
Qualifying Rounds
Nominees from the class of '29 and '28.5 will each deliver a 3 minute speech in response to the Spencer Prize Prompt. Faculty/Staff judges will select 6 Finalists from three qualifying events.
All Qualifying events held in
Coltrane Lounge, Adirondack House
Red Night: Thurs Jan 8, 7:30pm
Blue Night: Sun Jan 11, 7:30pm
Green Night: Tues Jan 13, 7:30pm
2026 Grand Championship
with special guests, the Mamajamas!
The 6 finalists will each deliver 5-min. speeches to a general audience. A panel of judges will select the Spencer Prize 2026 Grand Champion.
Lily Jensen
Matt Stevenson
Ranyely Gil Rojas
Steph Snyder
Reed Hyde
Yasmina Errahioui
Congrats, 2025 Finalists!
First-year scholars,
take the mic!
Prizes
Grand Champion: $500
Finalists: $100
People's Choice Awards: $50
All speakers: Spencer Prize mug and sticker
Prompt
“Connect something you’ve discovered in a Middlebury class to something you care about. Can you get your audience to care too?”
Judging Critera
Compelling Connection:
Speaker captured the imagination by connecting something learned in class to something they care about.
Persuasive Argument:
Speaker used an efficient progression of thoughts to develop the central concept and establish its significance.
Engaging Delivery:
Speaker maintained a strong connection to the audience using body and voice to clarify and amplify their intent.
Nomination Process
To compete in the Spencer Prize, first-year students from the class of '29 and '28.5 must be nominated by a Middlebury College faculty- or staff-member by Dec 12, 2025.
Nominators are asked to recognize students for public speaking potential as well as current ability, or for their eloquence and engagement in classroom discussions.
Nominators must be Middlebury College faculty or staff
read all about it in . . .
Spencer Prize video by Zack Einhorn '21
The 2025 Spencer Prize Team
Director:
Assistant Director:
Exec Producers:
Graphic Design:
Promotion Team:
Music Directors:
Photo/Video:
'Emcees:
Judge Liaisons:
Contestant Liaisons:
Event Greeters:
Ben Powers, Assoc Dir., Oratory Now
Max Gibson '25, Grad Assoc., Oratory Now
Yasmina Errahioui '28, Zane Malarkey '28,
Max Gibson '25, Laura Clervil '25.5
Abhir Suri '28, Alison Penner '27, Alpana Bakshi '26, Amador Abiuso '29, Artemis Ge '28, Bri Akuamoah-Boateng '28, Celeste Marrero '27, Doreen Ngemera '28, Gigi Giron '27, Harry Wilson '28, Jadah Egbo '29, Josette Chun '26.5, Juan Salazar '27, Klaé Parchment '28, Lily Jensen '28, Liv Davidson '26, Mack Briglin '26.5, Mohamed Noor '27, Monique Pond '28, Natalie Martinez '28, Reed Hyde '28, Sarina Chitkara '25.5, Sasha Wintersteller '26.5, Shalini Navsaria '27, Shea Brams '26, Stephanie Snyder '28, Victoria Fawcett '26, Weronika Wozny '27, Will Beckerman '26,
Alison Penner '27, Alvaro Micocci '28, Weronika Wozny '27
Artemis Ge '28, Sasha Wintersteller '26.5, Nelly Karimi '28
Alpana Bakshi '26, Bianca Belk '28, Doreen Ngemera '28, Reed Hyde '28, Sarina Chitkara '25.5, Shalini Navsaria '27, Yasmina Errahioui '28, Zane Malarkey '28
Doreen Ngemera '28, Elise Scott '26, Josette Chun '26.5, Mohamed Noor '27, Shalini Navsaria '27, Shea Brams '26
Adam Gips '26.5, Bianca Belk '28, Elise Scott '26, Gigi Giron '27, Harry Wilson '28, Liv Davidson '26, Monique Pond '28, Natalie Martinez '28, Reed Hyde '28, Sarina Chitkara '25.5, Shalini Navsaria '27, Shea Brams '26
Doreen Ngemera '28, Jadah Egbo '29, Lily Jensen '28, Stephanie Snyder '28,
"Writing, rehearsing and ultimately presenting my speech were worthwhile experiences I would definitely do again. The audiences at the presentations were supportive and attentive to the point that it almost felt like a big group of friends getting together to swap stories about life. I consider the platform the Spencer Prize has given me a prize in and of itself."
–Treasure Brooks, 2018 Spencer Prize Grand Champion
Congrats to Ranyely Gil Rojas,
2025 Grand Champ!
video
digital program
The Spencer Prize in Oratory Honors the memory of African Studies Emeritus Professor of History and former trustee, John Spencer
After earning a bachelor’s degree from Princeton in 1953, John served for two years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He then worked at the National Sugar Refining Company, with the Institute of Current World Affairs in East Africa, at the Ford Foundation for Eastern, Northern, and Southern Africa, and as a Peace Corps evaluator for Gambia, Mauritania, and Senegal. His work with the Peace Corps eventually led him to earn his MA and PhD from Columbia University.
“Many current faculty will remember him as a mentor, offering sage advice about how to survive and be exceptional at Middlebury,” said Ted Perry, Fletcher Professor of the Arts Emeritus. "Many students will remember his extraordinarily helpful role in emphasizing oral presentations, a practice he made central to success in his classes. He knew it was a skill they would need in whatever life’s work they chose.”
Former Middlebury President John McCardell Jr. reflected on his many years working with John Spencer: “John was a model administrator, a masterful teacher, a true student and mentor in the field of public speaking (keep your jacket buttoned, never say ‘uh,’ don’t breathe through your mouth). He truly made the field of African History at Middlebury -- students flocked to his courses.”
