Five Goshen College student speakers will participate in the college’s 2013 C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest on Tuesday, Feb. 19 in Umble Center at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Participants in the 2013 contest and their topics are:

Senior Marcelle Al-Zoughbi, a TESOL major from South Bend, Ind., will speak on “Please don’t invest in Palestine’s oppression.”

Sophomore Abby Deaton, a psychology and communication double major from Indianapolis, will speak on “Making Peace with Warriors.”

Senior Jeffrey Moore, a Bible and religion major from Ashland, Ohio, will speak on “Tribalitis: Curing the disease of polarization.”

Sophomore Jacob Putnam, a sociology and Spanish double major from Chicago, Ill., will speak on “Laos’ history of war: The need for UXO removal.”

Senior Mara Weaver, a history major from Bloomington, Ill., will speak on “The price of incarceration: Private prisons in the U.S.”

Each participant will deliver an 8 to 10-minute speech on a topic of their choice relating to peace in a universal or specific context. In the past, speeches have related to war and violence, political policies, peacemaking strategies and personal violence and healing. Speakers will be judged on originality, the integration of the topic and a peace position and general standards of delivery. While judges deliberate, refreshments will be served, and then the winner will be announced.

Participants compete for cash prizes and the top winner may enter the U.S./Canada Mennonite Central Committee-sponsored C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest. The trust of C. Henry Smith, a Mennonite historian and professor at Goshen and Bluffton (Ohio) colleges, funds the contest, which gives students an opportunity to become involved with the peace cause while cultivating rhetorical skills.

Speech contests have been part of Goshen College’s history since the early 1900s; the C. Henry Smith contest allows the campus community to hear more about relevant, contemporary issues. For an archive of past winners, visit www.goshen.edu/communication/about/contest.

-By Becca Kraybill

Jeffrey Moore

Moore is from Ashland, Ohio, majoring in Bible and religion and communications. He regularly takes part in Bible studies on campus, and this summer he is participating in the Ministry Inquiry Program this summer by shadowing the lead pastor at Oak Grove Mennonite Church in Smithville, Ohio.

At the FTE conference, Moore was pleased to interact with people from various theological backgrounds. “I formed relationships with a diverse group of people who will be valuable friends and colleagues down the road as I explore my ministerial options,” he said.

Emily Hedrick

Hedrick is from Telford, Pa., majoring in music and Bible and religion. She has served as a student ministry leader and chapel planning assistant, and this summer she is working on a farm in London, Ohio.

Bob Yoder, Goshen College’s campus pastor, nominated both students for the fellowship, which is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. Goshen College students have been chosen for this program several years in a row, and according to Yoder, having two award recipients in one year is uncommon for most schools.

According to its website, FTE was created in 1954 when leading educators, clergy and philanthropists joined together “out of the common concern that the quality of those entering the ministry had declined and that highly talented students were too often choosing other careers.”

Each year, FTE awards about 150 new fellowships to students to fund their exploration of preparation for pastoral ministry.

FTE Undergraduate Fellows are selected by a national committee of theological educators and church leaders. Students must be nominated by a professor, school administrator, pastor or campus minister; hold a minimum 3.0 grade point average; have an interest in pastoral ministry and demonstrate leadership in a church or school community. For more information about the fellowship, visit www.fteleaders.org.

—By Anna T. Ruth

Editors: For more information about this release, to arrange an interview or request a photo, contact Goshen College Assistant Director of Public Relations Jodi H. Beyeler at (574) 535-7572 or jodihb@goshen.edu.

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Goshen College, established in 1894, is a residential Christian liberal arts college rooted in the Anabaptist-Mennonite tradition. The college’s Christ-centered core values – passionate learning, global citizenship, compassionate peacemaking and servant-leadership – prepare students as leaders for the church and world. Recognized for its unique Study-Service Term program, Goshen has earned citations of excellence in Barron’s Best Buys in Education, “Colleges of Distinction,” “Making a Difference College Guide” and U.S. News & World Report’s “America’s Best Colleges” edition, which named Goshen a “least debt college.” Visit www.goshen.edu.