The Annual C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest

The annual C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest, established in 1974 by the directors of the C. Henry Smith Trust offers PACS students an opportunity to discuss peacebuilding and social justice issues on campus. The intercollegiate competition is administered by the Peace and Justice Ministries of the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC). Undergraduate students from every Mennonite and Brethren in Christ college in North America including Canada are eligible to participate. 

Henry Smith was an American Mennonite historian and professor at Mennonite colleges and the University of Chicago. Overall, he taught history for nearly 50 years at the collegiate level. He is well-known for his numerous books on Mennonite history and his particular attention to the peace commitments of the Mennonite tradition.  

On March 8, 2023, at 7 PM in the Grebel Gallery in the Kindred Center for Peace Advancement (CPA), PACS and Grebel Students Services are organizing a speech performance and are inviting PACS students and Grebel residents to participate.

The contest winners will be rewarded cash prizes of $400 for first place, $300 for second place, and $200 for third place. For more information, reach out to the PACS Academic Advisor.

To learn more about the contest and meet previous PACS or Grebel resident participants, visit this link here.

Application deadline - February 28, 2023