Northern Essex Community College’s 8th annual Speechapalooza event will be held in person for the first time in two years!
This comes as our community and world try to ease back into some sense of normalcy.
The event will take place toward the final weeks of the semester on Thursday, April 21, from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
More details are to come in the following weeks.
Sponsored by NECC’s Liberal Arts Communications/Journalism program, the Speechapalooza events began back in 2015.
It is now planned and run by public relation students, under the advisement of Professor Kimberly Lyng.
Speechapalooza has given students the opportunity to amplify their voices and opinions in a public forum, encouraging individuality and unity.
Togetherness is at the forefront of this conversation, emphasizing the in-person element of this event — something that has not happened in quite a while.
Living through a pandemic for the past two years has made it evident that many of us miss the socialization and normalcy we once took for granted.
Lyng shares “I’m a people-person; I think so many of us become energized when we share space with each other.”
For this reason, especially, Lyng says she’s excited to host this event in person again.
Her goal in this event is for students to feel heard — and to be ready for the real world of communications and public relations.
“This is a professional event” says Lyng, “All I want is for students to finish this event and feel professionally prepared.”
NECC’s Public Relations students were in the midst of planning the 2020 Speechapalooza event when the COVID-19 pandemic struck, meaning the team had to adjust their plans drastically, much like we all had to do in all other aspects of our lives.
“We all have so much to say because we have felt isolated for so long” Lyng shares. “It has been so nice to have everyone back on campus because it allows us all to voice our thoughts and feelings. There’s a lot of value in that.”
If you are interested in participating in Speechapalooza 2022, please send an email including a brief summary of your speech topic speechapalooza22gmail.com.
The student organizers are looking forward to hearing your voices in person once again.
