(Posted February 18, 2003)

HUNTINGDON, Pa. -- Juniata College students will address world citizenship and its responsibilities at the annual John M. and Thomas F. Bailey Oratorical Contest, to be held at 8:15 p.m. Feb. 18 in the ballroom of Ellis College Center.

Admission is free and the event is open to the public.

The contest offers students the chance to create a persuasive speech addressing the topic: "What does it Mean to be a Citizen of the World?"

A preliminary competition was held Feb. 8 to narrow the field of 40 student participants. Seven student orators will take part in the final competition.

The seven finalists are seniors Joshua Hicks, of Mount Union, Pa.; Stephanie Durnford, of Accokeek, Md.; Jesse Rhodes, of Franklin, Ind.; Adam Foote, of Bethel Park, Pa.; Andrea Mundis, of Dallastown, Pa; Amanda Wallis, of Largo, Fla.; and junior Michelle Calka, of Johnstown, Pa.

The judges for the preliminary competition were: Lisa Glebatis, an instructor in public speaking at Penn State University; Matthew Peters, a 2001 Juniata graduate and information technology graduate student at Penn State University; and Christopher Scalia, a 1998 Juniata graduate and a lawyer with the Huntingdon firm Henry, Corcelius, Gates, Gill and Ody. Both Peters and Scalia are former Bailey contest winners.

Judges for the final competition are:

Jim Gregory, executive assistant for state Senator Robert Jubilerer. Gregory is a former promotions executive with the Altoona Curve from 1998 to 2002 and served as sports anchor for WTAJ-TV in Altoona from 1986 to 1998. The Latrobe, Pa. native is a graduate of Ohio University.

David Shoenthal is a 1998 Juniata graduate and winner of the Bailey contest in 1998. He is a graduate assistant at Penn State University in mathematics.

Nina White, president of the Interfaith and Community Coalition Against Prejudice and Violence (ICC), a nonprofit organization in State College that she helped to found in 1999. She earned a bachelor's degree in nursing from the University of Pennsylvania and earned a doctorate in health and human development from Penn State. She also taught clinical nursing at Penn State.

The prize money for the Bailey Oratorical Contest is $1,000. The first-place winner receives $500, second place receives $300, and third place receives $200.

The original Bailey Oratorical Award was established in 1915 by the Honorable Thomas F. Bailey, who served as president judge of Huntingdon County from 1916 to 1936.

The oratorical contest has a long tradition at Juniata College, as students from all areas of study can compete for the monetary prize. An enhanced endowment contribution by Judge Bailey's son-in-law Colonel Sedgley Thornbury, has raised the prize money level to $1,000. In addition, the name of the winner will be permanently inscribed on an antique loving cup presented to the college by Colonel Thornbury's son, Thomas Bailey Thornbury.

Contact April Feagley at feaglea@juniata.edu or (814) 641-3131 for more information.