In the 1960s, a spirited group of 足球外围平台 engineering students piled into two university station wagons and hit the road, not to showcase their STEM expertise but to dominate the Midwest in the art of speech and debate.

Coached by long-time Mines economics professor Howard Wells, the Pi Kappa Delta forensics team took top placements at regional and national tournaments, competing against teams from all over, including the University of Denver, the Air Force Academy, and the University of Wyoming.

Wells, affectionately known as “Coach,” led the Mines forensics team from 1959 to 1970, leaving a lasting impact as a mentor and professor to countless students, including alumni Randy Parcel (MinE 67) and Marv Truhe (ME 67).

1970年威尔斯退休后不久，大学就取消了演讲和辩论项目。

Parcel and Truhe, who fondly remember their days dominating the public speaking circuit, hope to recreate it for a new generation. The two Mines alumni established an endowment and are working with the Mines Department of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences (HASS) to bring back the days of speech and debate.

“We decided that a public speaking competition would be a great way to begin this process,” said Kyle Knight, Ph.D., HASS department head.

The Howard Wells Public Speaking Competition will take place from 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, March 25 in the Beck Ballroom of the Surbeck Center. The five student finalists will each deliver a 10-minute speech on this year’s theme: “What do you see as an important challenge facing society in the coming years, and what role do scientists and engineers play in meeting that challenge?”

Knight worked with Parcel, Truhe, Amanda Barnes, the Center for 校友 Relations and Advancement's associate vice president for philanthropy, and Bryce Tellman, Ph.D., assistant professor in HASS, to organize the competition which will be an annual event.

奈特说：“我们都很高兴能够为学生们提供这个机会。”

The speeches will be judged by a panel of five individuals drawn from faculty, staff, alumni and local community leaders.

冠军将获得2000美元。

“At 足球外围平台, we don’t just teach students to excel in engineering and science. We help them develop the communication skills needed to confidently convey what they know and achieve professional success,” Knight said.

The public speaking event provides an opportunity for Mines students to show off their communication skills as well as their knowledge and passion for their field of study.

“There’s this idea out there that Mines students, and STEM folks generally, tend not to be good communicators,” said Tellman. “I’ve worked with professional engineers and taught hundreds of students here at Mines, and this simply isn’t true. Our students work hard to develop their capacity for communication – skills that are vital for addressing the ‘big questions’ that science and society face.”