Special Occasion Speech Analysis
Link to the speech: http://www.usprofessorsoftheyear.org/Winners/Previous_Natl_Winners/Wadach_Acceptance_Speech.html#.VlcjEqJ3B9A
The speech chosen for analysis is the acceptance speech by John Wadach, professor of engineering science and physics at Monroe Community College, given after he received 2014 Outstanding Community Colleges Professor of the Year. This speech closely follows the format of an acceptance speech.Talking about the organization which grants the award is an essential component of any acceptance
speech. This is what Wadach starts his speech with. He expresses his gratitude to the creators of the award. He also mentions how important this award is for the community and for the college teachers themselves by recognizing the importance of college teachers’ work. Wadach also includes a sentence about what award means for him, fulfilling another requirement of an acceptance speech.After that Wadach talks about himself as being only one of the many good and dedicated teachers.
By saying that he is only one of the many, Wadach remains humble and does not concentrate on himself. Shifting focus from oneself and connecting the award to a wider context is another essential feature of an acceptance speech that Wadach adheres to. This feature is also seen when Wadach tells stories about his students who work in order to pay for their studies. In this way he recognizes that students play an important role in teachers’ dedication, since students are the ones who motivate and inspire teachers. Once again, this moves attention away from his person. Moreover, it is often encouraged to include a relevant story into an acceptance speech with an aim of engaging the listeners. These students’ stories presented by Wadach perfectly fulfil this function.An integral component of any acceptance speech is gratitude to the people who helped, inspired or coached the receiver of the award.
Wadach does this in the very end of his speech by thanking his college president, the person who helped him with the nomination, and his wife. Wadach names only a few people which makes his speech even better. It is advised not to include too many names and people into an acceptance speech not to make it too overloaded. Inclusion of only several names for gratitude, as in the case of Wadach, makes the speech and the gratitude itself more powerful and sincere.All in all, Wadach’s speech is a perfect example of an acceptance speech and fulfils its basic requirements.
Works Cited
Wadach, John. “U.S Professor Of The Year Awards - John Wadach - Acceptance Speech.”Usprofessorsoftheyear.org. Council for Advancement and Support of Education, 2014. Web. 26 Nov. …
