By Huang Yuechen and Ding Shuorui
Huang Yuechen, a freshman majoring in Broadcasting and Anchoring (Bilingual in Chinese & English) at the Communication University of China (CUC), won the Second Award at the 16th Beijing College Students' English Speech Contest. The contest concluded on November 29 at the University of International Business and Economics.
Huang Yuechen, delivering an English speech at the 16th Beijing College Students' English Speech Contest
Associate Professor Ding Shuorui and Professor Hong Li, both from the English Department of School of International Studies (SIS) at CUC, served as Huang's coaches. Advancing from a competitive field of 52 contestants in the semi-finals, Huang secured a spot among the top 10 finalists.
During the competition, she focused on the set themes, discussing topics including the climate change, the green transition, and the preservation of local intangible cultural heritage amid "global cultures". She integrated personal experiences and Chinese initiatives with a global perspective in her speeches.
"This competition has been an invaluable experience for me. It triggers me to reflect how grand global issues can be integrated with our local practices," Huang said after the ceremony.
Huang Yuechen (first from the right, front row) winning the second prize the 16th Beijing College Students' English Speech Contest
The contest was organized by the Beijing Municipal Education Commission and hosted by the University of International Business and Economics. Both semi-final and final adopted a format of prepared speeches, impromptu speeches, and question-and-answer sessions. The semi-final theme was "Global Vision and Local Action", while the final centered on "Local Actions, Global Impact". Top two performers from each of the five semi-final venues qualified for the final.
Prior to the municipal contest, CUC held its campus selection from late October to early November, attracting 181 participants. The final on November 5 was judged by a panel including external experts from other universities and SIS faculty members. Ms. Jiang Wei of SIS served as the question master.
Campus selection of the 16th Beijing College Students' English Speech Contest at CUC
Huang Yuechen won the first prize in the campus selection to represent CUC. Yu Bowen and Song Yanjie took second prizes; Bao Guanchen, Xu Zekai and Dai Leying won third prizes; Fan Xiaoyi, Zhang Xinyan and Xiong Rohan received merit awards.
SIS has long focused on cultivating international communication competence for students, with competitions serving as platforms for practical performances and English proficiency improvement.
Huang Yuechen, after winning the second prize at the 16th Beijing College Students' English Speech Contest
"I will continue to learn and take on new challenges. I also look forward to seeing more of my peers develop a genuine passion for English public speaking and take part in these significant events," said Huang when asked for her final thoughts on the contest.
Editor: Chen Yiran, Fang Yiran
Managing Editor: Ding Shuorui
Editor-in-chief: Yu Ran, Chen Yiwen, Yang Zhongtian
