Bergen Community College

Frequently asked questions about the speech competition

Who can participate?

• EVERYONE!   All currently enrolled students at Bergen Community College are encouraged to enter the competition – full-time, part-time, in any major or area of concentration.
• If you are enrolled at the College, you are eligible to enter.
• All students who participate in the First Round will receive a certificate of recognition.

What are the prizes?  When will they be awarded?

• The top 5 speakers from the First Round will compete in the Final Round for cash prizes. Winners will be announced at the Awards Ceremony, immediately following the Final Round of competition. 
• The Office of the Vice President of Academic Affairs and Provost is sponsoring a total of $2,500 in awards for the top 5 Speakers. 
  • 1st Place: $1,000
  • 2nd Place: $700
  • 3rd Place:  $500
  • 4th Place: $200
  • 5th Place:  $100

What are the guidelines and procedures for the First Round?

• The First Round of the Competition will be held on Thursday, April 2, 2026 from 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. in Pitkin.
• Come to the sign-in desk at the Welcome Center Lobby between 12:00 and 12:25 p.m. to sign in and you will receive your room assignment. (1st Floor, Pitkin Building, near L-wing and the Public Safety Office)
• In each classroom there will be 5 or 6 students competing and 3 judges from the faculty or college administration.
• When you arrive at your classroom, fill out your index card (given to you at Registration) with your name and the title of your speech and present it to the judge.
• Once all of the speakers and judges are present in a classroom, the competition can begin.  Everyone will be finished by 1:30 p.m.
• The Co-Directors of the Competition will tally the scores of all the speakers.  Speakers will be notified within 48 hours if they are one of the top 5 finalists. 

What are the guidelines and procedures for the Final Round and Awards Ceremony ?

• The Final Round will be held on Tuesday, April 21, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.  Pitkin, C-211
• The Finalists should arrive at 3:30 pm.
• Speakers present the same speech that they did in the First Round at the Final Round.
• There will be an audience at this round of competition.   Faculty members and college administrators may also be present. Family members of the Finalists are welcome to attend. 
• After the students have presented their speeches, there will be refreshments available while the judges determine the winners.  Winners will be announced at approximately 5:00 pm at the Awards Ceremony.

How do I decide on a speech topic? What is the time limit?

• You can speak about any topic of significance and relevance to the audience.
• There are many academic projects across many disciplines that would make a good speech, from art and biology to philosophy and political science.  You may be working on an essay or a paper that you could modify into an informative or persuasive speech.
• You may present a 6 minute informative or persuasive speech on a topic of your choice that you deem significant and worthy of the audience’s attention.

What if I’ve never taken a Communication course?

• That’s fine! You don’t need to be enrolled in COM 100 Speech Communication or COM 102 Public Speaking to participate.  The competition is open to all Bergen students.
• There is a textbook on reserve in the library that has information on how to prepare a speech:  Essentials of Human Communication, 11th Edition, by Joseph A. DeVito.  Chapters 11, 12, 13 and 14 detail how to prepare a speech to inform and a speech to persuade. 
• There is also information under the “Preparing your Speech” tab.

What is appropriate attire to wear for the competition?

Speakers should wear business casual or business formal attire. Examples include:

• Button down shirts, collared shirts, blouses or sweaters
• Slacks, khakis or dress pants/skirts
• Suits, ties or dresses are optional
• No T-shirts, jeans, sneakers, sweatshirts or hats 

How do I sign up?      

Fill out the online Student Registration Form (the link is on the home page).

What is the deadline for registering?

The deadline to sign up is March 31, 2026.

What happens after I register? 

 You will receive a confirmation e-mail and additional information from one of the Co-Directors of the Competition, Professor Gina Costa or Dr. Kathleen Williams.

Good luck!  We hope you find the experience of participating in the Speech Competition to be very rewarding and enjoyable.  Please e-mail with us with any  additional questions.

Professor Gina Costa
[email protected]
Office: L336

Dr. Kathleen Williams
[email protected]
Office: L336