Wit and Wisdom wins an audience

On March 4, junior English major Elizabeth Wager will be presenting a Bergren Forum on her entry for the Wit and Wisdom competition. Phi Beta Kappa first hosted the competition last fall in lieu of the annual spring guest speaker. Out of three finalists, Wager was named winner by a judging committee. She was awarded the forum, two hundred and fifty dollars and a dinner in her honor.

“We considered the quality of writing, the academic excellence, originality of the work, and other factors,” said Dr. Juliana Gray of Phi Beta Kappa.

Finalists gave an eight to ten minute sample of an oral presentation on their pieces. The winner was then chosen based on public speaking skills, poise and accessibility of the audience.

“It’s basically a collection of nine poems that I've written over the past year and a half,” said Wager. “I've added brief introductions to each one, explaining what the assignment was, and the importance and creation of the ‘voice.’”

The poems are all written from the points of view of different speakers, including a doctor, a sailor and a coal miner.

“Each poem is a look into that persona, and expresses how that character sees and interprets their world. It's very liberating,” Wager added.

When asked about how she felt about presenting in front of an audience, Wager stated she was nervous but excited. Winning the competition was worth the nerves, though.

“I'm not going to lie, it felt pretty good. I think about it occasionally, and I'm still surprised,” she commented.

Both creative and analytical work was accepted for the competition but Wager sees perks in poetry over prose.

“Poetry condenses ideas in such a way that language and word choice are crucial,” Wager explained. “Each line, each phrase is so meticulously planned out, it forces the writer or poet to really consider what they are writing about.”

The forum will take place Thursday, Mar. 4 from 12:10 to 1:00 PM in Nevins Theater. It is sure to be and entertaining and interesting Bergren Forum.

“I think people will really be impressed by her writing and depth of insight,” Gray said. “I've admired the poems that she's written in workshops, and I'm glad she has this opportunity to share them with an audience.”