A showcase spotlighting UCA freshmen and sophomore students in the Department of Speech and Public Relations was held recently in honor of Olive Hilliard, who served as a professor at UCA from 2003 until her death in 2010.
Six finalists competed in the inaugural Olive Hilliard Speech Showcase held April 26 at the University of Central Arkansas. Awards totaling $1,000 were presented to students following the competition. Students were nominated for the showcase by their instructors for their outstanding speeches in Basic Oral Communication classes.
Participants had to exemplify Olive Hilliard’s spirit and character — care for others, generosity, compassion, friendliness, and a great sense of humor — and deliver an outstanding speech. They also had to demonstrate a desire to positively impact their community.
Olive Hilliard was an instructor of writing and communication. She was respected by her colleagues and admired by her students, said Pamela Milburn, a lecturer in the Department of Speech and Public Relations who organized the event.
“It was very good to have a chance to honor my former colleague in this way,” Milburn said. “Olive was a treasured friend and colleague and really was the motivating force behind beginning this tradition.”
Students who placed in the showcase and their topics were: Lukas Deem of Conway, first place, “Take the Road Less Traveled;” Desiree Garrison of Conway, second place, “The Negative Influence of Hip-Hop;” Stephanie Alyssa Winfield of Hope, finalist, “Discrimination Against the Homeless;” Heather Downs of Sage, finalist, “Shoes and Their Nasty Antics;” Brooke Scarbrough of Siloam Springs, finalist, “Enneagram;” and Adam Stevens of Texarkana, finalist, “Facebook Addiction.”
“The spirit of Olive was very much represented by these students,” Milburn said. “They were very gracious, whether they were the top winner or not, they presented themselves professionally and were extremely personable. They exemplified the presentation techniques taught in the course with great style. … We are very proud of them, especially since they are freshmen and sophomores.”
Milburn hopes the showcase will generate a great deal of friendly competition as entry level students work to develop professional communication skills.
The Olive M. Hilliard Fund has been established to furnish scholarships for winners in the coming years of the contest. Anyone interested in contributing should contact the Department of Speech and Public Relations or the UCA Foundation. For more information, contact Dr. Monika Alston-Miller, assistant professor, at (501) 852-2350 or AlstonM@uca.edu.
