Howard Wells Public Speaking Competition

Wells Awards

The Howard Wells Public Speaking Competition is an annual event hosted by the Department of Humanities, Arts, and Social Sciences. Made possible by generous alumni support in honor of longtime professor and forensics coach Howard Wells, this event encourages undergraduate students to develop and demonstrate their communication skills.

The competition is conducted in two rounds. In the first round, participants will submit a pre-recorded video of a 10-minute speech on this year’s theme. A panel of judges drawn from campus and the surrounding community will select five finalists to present their speeches in front of the judges and audience in the second round, a public event on March 24th, 2026 at 6pm in the Beck Ballroom.

The winners will be awarded cash prizes: $2,000 for 1st place, $1,000 for 2nd place, $500 for 3rd place, and $250 for the runners-up.

2026 Competition Theme: TBD

To participate, read the instructions and rules below and submit your entry by February 10th, 2026.

 

Submit Your Entry

 

 

Instructions and Rules

Before participating, please review the following guidelines to ensure your submission meets all requirements. These instructions outline eligibility, deadlines, judging criteria, and competition expectations for both rounds.

Submit the link to your video by 11:59pm (MST) on February 10th, 2026 or contact Dr. Bryce Tellmann (bryce.tellmann@sdsmt.edu) to record your video and submit it in person.

  • The same speech is to be used in Round 1 and Round 2. (Minor adjustments or improvements are permitted.)

     

  • Speeches will be judged on (1) delivery, (2) organization, clarity, and detail of content, and (3) relevance to the theme.

     

  • Speeches must address this year’s theme and be the student’s original work.

     

  • Speeches must have a title and be approximately 10 minutes in length.

     

  • Some notes are permitted as a memory aid, but speeches should not be read.

     

  • No visual aids are permitted.

     

  • Videos submitted as a link using the online form must be viewable by the judges. Ensure your video is uploaded and available on one of the following platforms and is not set as private: OneDrive, Google Drive, YouTube, or Vimeo. You may set your video as “unlisted” on YouTube or Vimeo or share it with “Anyone with the link” on OneDrive or Google Drive.

     

  • Prizes may be subject to federal income tax. Winners will be required to submit a W-9 form to CARA.

  • If you have any questions about this competition, please email Dr. Bryce Tellmann (bryce.tellmann@sdsmt.edu) or Dr. Kyle Knight (kyle.knight@sdsmt.edu).

 

History

Professor Howard Wells
This competition is named in honor of the late Professor Howard Wells, who joined the faculty of South Dakota Mines in 1938 and taught economics for over thirty years in what was then called the Department of English and Social Science. He was a beloved professor and mentor to many students and was known as Happy Howard Wells for his cheerful demeanor. He coached the speech and debate (or forensics) team at Mines from 1959 until his retirement in 1970. In those years, he led his forensics squad to many successes including placing among the top teams at the national tournament multiple times in the mid-1960s.

 

2025 winners

The first annual Howard Wells Public Speaking Competition was held in 2025 on the following 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?” Linus Uy, a sophomore Civil Engineering major, won first prize with his speech titled, “Technological Intrusion.”

 

Have more questions?

Humanities, Arts, Social Sciences Administrative Assistant Office: CB333

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Rapid City, SD 57701

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