Events

ETSU's Nova Skipper Takes Speech Contest Grand Prize

Intermediate Japanese language student Nova Skipper of East Tennessee State University took top honors Saturday, April 12th, at the First Annual Tennessee Area Japanese Speech Contest hosted by Vanderbilt University. Skipper's grand-prize-winning performance, entitled "Becoming Myself", earned her a round-trip air ticket to Japan furnished by American Airlines, a $500 travel stipend compliments of Middle Tennessee Japan Society and a 7-day Japan Rail Pass sponsored by Japan Travel Bureau (JTB) USA, Chicago.

Skipper was selected by a distinguished panel of judges from among 44 contestants representing 10 Tennessee area colleges and universities. Participants competed in beginning, intermediate and advanced levels, with generously-sponsored prizes and cash awards for the grand prize winner and the top three performers in each category.

Winning first prize, a dual language electronic dictionary and $200 cash sponsored by The Mitsui USA Foundation, were Peter Bohan, Advanced Level, Vanderbilt University; Courtney Fernandez, Intermediate Level, University of Memphis; Ariel Xinyue Liang, Beginning Level, Vanderbilt University.

Winners of second prize, also a dual language electronic dictionary and $100 cash sponsored by The Mitsui USA Foundation, were Alessandro Allegranzi, Advanced Level, Vanderbilt University; Jena Stilwell, Intermediate Level, University of Tennessee, Martin; and Dan Smith, Beginning Level, Vanderbilt University.

Placing third and winning Brother multi-function centers furnished by Brother International, Inc. and $50 cash were Aun-Drey Brown, Advanced Level, Vanderbilt University; Alysha Tribbet, Intermediate Level, Vanderbilt University; and Jimin Lee, Beginning Level, Belmont University.

Winning special prizes of $50 gift cards sponsored by Goh America Corporation were Thomas (Tora) D. Mulligan of University of Memphis; Christie Smith of Vanderbilt University; and Coren Cogdell of Middle Tennessee State University.

In addition to the sponsorships previously noted, the competition was generously supported by Bridgestone Americas Holding, Inc.; Nissan North America, Inc.; Komatsu America Corp.; Denso Manufacturing Tennessee, Inc. and Denso Manufacturing Athens Tennessee, Inc.; and The Japan Foundation.

Special door prizes added to the day of competition, with significant contributions provided by Toshiba America Consumer Products; Tennessee Foreign Language Institute, and Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development.

The First Annual Tennessee Area Japanese Speech Contest host committee was led by Keiko R. Nakajima, PhD, Coordinator of the Japanese Language Program and Senior Lecturer in Japanese of Vanderbilt University’s East Asian Studies Program, along with The Consular Office of Japan in Nashville; Vanderbilt Institute for Public Policy Studies Center for U.S.-Japan Studies and Cooperation; and The Japan-America Society of Tennessee.