Amplify Program

For the purposes of this competition, we define public speaking as the verbal delivery of knowledge and ideas with the intent of influencing or enhancing a listener’s views on a particular topic or issue. This category will take the form of a public event at which students may perform a “TED”-style talk of no more than five minutes on a topic of their choosing. The event takes place on Saturday, February 13, 2027, from 1 to 3 p.m. Judges will be present to evaluate speakers on both content and performance. Attendees of the Public Speaking competition event will have an opportunity to vote to award a $200 People’s Choice prize to one performance. Additionally, judges will announce three $500 prize winners at the Awards Ceremony following the speaking event from 5 to 6 p.m. Performances will be recorded and featured on the Amplify Gallery website after the event.

Students who participate in the Amplify Public Speaking Competition can receive support and coaching in advance of their performance through participating in a Public Speaking Workshop, held in-person at Smith College on the afternoon of January 30, 2027. Registered speakers are not required but will be strongly encouraged to participate in the workshop. In addition, registered speakers will have the option of signing up for an hour-long feedback session with a professional public speaking coach.

In previous years’ competitions, the most successful talks have been those that focused on a timely and well-researched topic focused on a specific idea or call to action, performed with minimal to no notes. Talks can present a personal connection to the issue for the speaker but are not required to do so; in either case, successful talks tend to be those that combine a human angle with careful research to support the idea being advanced.

Registration

Register for the competition by Wednesday, January 20, 2027 (link will be posted in early November 2026). Registration for the competition is limited to 20 students due to time constraints. Registered students will receive further communication about competition logistics and criteria after the deadline. 

We define public writing as a written piece (published or intended to be published) that seeks to influence a reader’s views on, or raise the visibility or salience of, a particular topic or issue. This year’s competition will focus on the op-ed format for all submissions in the Public Writing category. Op-eds are short articles that are grounded in research and express the writer’s informed and focused opinion on a particular issue or topic. Op-eds serve as a form of “thought leadership,” as they are a powerful way of translating a writer’s knowledge and/or experience to influence public opinion. For guidelines on how to write an op-ed, check out some resources from the Jacobson Center.

Op-eds submitted to the competition should be 750–1,000 words, and may be written either as part of a Smith College course assignment or as an independently researched and developed piece of writing. While the op-ed does not need to have been published, students submitting work should have a clear sense of which specific public media outlet(s) they could imagine submitting the piece to.

In previous years’ competitions, the most successful entries have offered well-researched and deeply nuanced perspectives on current issues. Judges in this category generally look for pieces of writing that offer a fresh take on the topic, and that they can imagine encountering in public media outlets. Submissions can present a personal connection to the issue for the author but are not required to do so; in either case, successful submissions tend to be those that combine a human angle with careful research to support the idea being advanced.

Submissions

Submit your op-ed no later than Wednesday, January 20, 2027 (link will be posted in early November 2026).

The Wild Card category focuses on a particular form of public work each year, drawing from practices in the arts and multimedia. This year, the Wild Card category is visual stories and graphics.

Visual stories and graphics use imagery, colors, typography, and layout to convey messages, narratives, and data rather than relying solely on text. These formats often use storytelling and narrative to connect with audiences, and use visualizations to make complex data or relationships more easily understood. For the purposes of this year's Amplify Competition, we are focusing on stories and graphics that are meant to be shared digitally. Here are some examples for inspiration as well as some tools and tutorials that can help you get started if this is a new medium for you.

Inspiration

• The Pudding (a collection of visual essays exploring a range of topics, as well how-to blogs)
• 2025: The Year in Visual Stories and Graphics from the New York Times
• Wealth Inequality in America (narrative video example)

Tools & Tutorials

• StoryMaps (relatively map-centric, but there are lots of creative ways to use this tool!) The Spatial Analysis Lab (SAL) has access to pretty much everything you could want on the StoryMaps platform. Check out their StoryMaps slides and this StoryMaps tutorial made by a SAL student for more information.

• Flourish enables a lot of different types of data visualization, and also allows animation and exports to Canva. Here’s a tutorial created for a class where students mapped equity and sports data using the free version of Flourish.

• Tableau Public offers students free access to this popular data visualization tool. Their website offers How-To Videos and Community Resources to help you get started. 

Some things to consider when crafting your submission:

• What is the main point or message? What do you want your audience to take away from your visual story or graphic? What do they need to understand?
• What is the narrative arc of your visual story or graphic? What’s your “hook”? How are you helping your audience to feel invested in your visual story or graphic?
• What context and guidance for interpretation might be helpful? How will you help your audience see the patterns and through-lines that turn your visual into a compelling story?
• How will design help your audience navigate your visual story or graphic? This might include how visuals, text, and audio are integrated and structured, what is highlighted, or how the audience is guided through transitions.

Feeling lost and need more guidance? Reach out to wurtelecenter@smith.edu to set up a time to chat with a staff member about ideas.

Submissions

We encourage students interested in submitting to this category to consider the Amplify Competition criteria and imagine how your visual story or graphic might best fit within them as you design and create it.

All submissions should be created and submitted digitally. Aim for your submission to engage a reader/viewer for roughly 7–10 minutes of attention time, if they were to absorb it fully. Students who have submitted visual stories and graphics will then be supported in making their piece accessible to visitors to a reception we’ll hold in the Campus Center as part of the Amplify festivities on Saturday, February 13, 2027. 

Submit your field guide by Wednesday, January 20, 2027 (link will be posted in early November 2026). 

The Wurtele Center sponsors events and workshops in the fall with guest practitioners, which include a deeper dive into that year’s featured format, providing some inspiration and hands-on practice. Check out this year’s Visual Stories and Graphics events on November 2!