National Oratorical Finals Schedule

THURSDAY, MAY 14, 2026

1:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Beckett (Inside Dow Conference Center)

Contest Office

 

 

FRIDAY, MAY 15, 2026 

8:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Campus View (Upper level Dow Conference Center)

Contest moderators training and finals contest walk through
Dave King

 

8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. 

Searle Center

Contestants and chaperones arrive at Hillsdale College
 contest registration, completion of expense report and check-in

 

11:30 – 1 p.m.

(Grewcock Student Union)
Cafeteria open for lunch

 

4:30 p.m. – 6:15 p.m.

(Grewcock Student Union)
Cafeteria open for dinner

 

5:30 p.m.  

Plaster Auditorium 
Contest moderator and authorized call-in meeting
 Dave King, Moderator

 

6:30 p.m. 

Plaster Auditorium
Contestant and chaperone orientation meeting 

Dave King – Moderator
 Zach Miller – Hillsdale welcome and presentation

Contestant and chaperone orientation meeting 

Contest site familiarization (walk through of contest facility; each contestant will have five minutes to check acoustics, etc. of room)

Volunteers who are available will attend for training and familiarization.

 

         

SATURDAY, MAY 16, 2026

6:15 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

(Grewcock Student Union)
 Cafeteria open for breakfast

 

7:00 a.m.

Beckett
Contest office opens


7:00 a.m.

Room G (Upper Dow Conference Center)
PR Office


7:00 a.m. 

Plaster Auditorium
Contest moderators report for final instructions.
 Dave King, Lead Moderator

 

7:15 a.m.

Tables outside of Hoynak
 Volunteer Check In

Judges will report to Hoynak

All other volunteer staff should report to your contest rooms

 

8:00 a.m.

Hoynak 
 Quarterfinals judges report for assignments and briefing
 Paul Espinoza and John Looker, Lead Tabulators 

NOTES 

1. Only the contestants, escorts, assigned topic preparation room monitors, and contest moderators will be allowed in the holding rooms. 

2. The contestants will remain seated at their respective contest tables in order to maintain order and eliminate any possible confusion. 

3. The contestants are responsible to maintain order and proper decorum in the holding rooms.

 

8:15 a.m.  

Contestants and escorts will report to their respective quarterfinal room
Staff MUST be on time.

 

9:00 a.m.
 Contest rooms opened for seating

Contest moderators will escort judges to respective contest rooms

 

9:15 a.m.

Quarterfinal contests begin 

(Consult Contest Pairing Brackets for 
Contestant Assignments and Contest Results)


KENDALL HALL CONTESTS 

CONTEST ROOM

ASSIGNED TOPIC PREPARATION ROOM

QUARTERFINAL 1
Nevada, Michigan, South Dakota, Washington, Missouri, Louisiana

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 235 (Ground Level)

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 232 (Ground Level)

QUARTERFINAL 2
New Jersey, Wisconsin, Ohio, Mississippi, Virginia, Hawaii

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 233 (Ground Level)

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 231 (Ground Level)

QUARTERFINAL 3
 New York, Tennessee, Minnesota, Puerto Rico, Alabama, Vermont

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 335 (Upper Level)

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 332 (Upper Level)

QUARTERFINAL 4
 Arizona, Massachusetts, California, West Virginia, Utah, Alaska

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 333 (Upper Level)

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 331 (Upper Level)

HOLDING ROOMS

Holding Room 1

Holding Room 2

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 236B (Ground Level)

KENDALL HALL, ROOM 237 (Ground Level)

 


LANE HALL CONTESTS

CONTEST ROOM

ASSIGNED TOPIC PREPARATION ROOM

QUARTERFINAL 5
 Indiana, Texas, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, North Dakota, Oregon

LANE HALL, ROOM  123 (Lower Level)

LANE HALL, ROOM  232 (Ground Level)

QUARTERFINAL 6
 Montana, Maryland, Wyoming, France, New Hampshire, North Carolina

LANE HALL, ROOM  126 (Lower Level)

LANE HALL, ROOM  236 (Ground Level)

QUARTERFINAL 7
New Mexico, Maine, Colorado, Arkansas, Nebraska, Iowa 

LANE HALL, ROOM  234 (Ground Level)

LANE HALL, ROOM  339 (Upper Level)

QUARTERFINAL 8
 Rhode Island, Kansas, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Georgia, Florida

LANE HALL, ROOM  333 (Upper Level)

LANE HALL, ROOM 338 (Upper Level)

QUARTERFINAL 9
 Idaho, South Carolina, District of Columbia, Delaware, Illinois

LANE HALL, ROOM 335 (Upper Level)

LANE HALL, ROOM 337 (Upper Level)

HOLDING ROOMS

Holding Room 1

Holding Room 2

LANE HALL, ROOM  233 (Ground Level)

ROOM  231 (Ground Level)

NOTES

1. The assigned topic preparation room monitor will be called upon to assist with the drawing of the assigned topic.  Upon completion of the drawing the monitor will proceed to Holding Room Two to get contestant 1 and respective escort, proceed to Assigned Topic Preparation Room, and begin the five-minute assigned topic preparation. 

2. Upon completion of assigned topic presentation, contestant is to be escorted to Holding Room One. Escort will return to Holding Room Two to escort their other contestant through assigned topic portion of the contest.

3. Upon completion of the contest, the usher will proceed to Holding Room One to escort contestants back to their respective contest rooms for introduction of the contestants by the Contest Moderators.   Upon completion contestants will be dismissed, and contest moderators will proceed to the Judges’ Room (Hoynak) for tabulation of contest.

4. The contest results will be posted on the Contest Pairing Bracket chart.


11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Scoring of Quarterfinal Rounds

 

11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

(Grewcock Student Union)
 Cafeteria open for lunch

 

1:00 p.m.

All contest staff, except semifinals judges, will report to their assigned contest rooms for instructions.
 Volunteers not assigned, please report to contest office.

 

1:30 p.m.

Hoynak
 Semifinals judges report for assignments and briefing.
 Paul Espinoza & John Looker, Judging & Tabulating Leads

 

1:30 p.m.

Semifinals contestants and contestant escorts report to respective contest rooms for final contest instructions and three-minute acoustic check for each contestant/drawing of speaking order.  
 Upon completion of final contest instructions/drawing of speaking order, 
Semifinals contestants will be taken to Holding Room One by the escorts.

 

NOTES:

1. Only the contestants, escorts, assigned topic preparation room monitors, and contest moderators will be allowed in the holding rooms. 

2. The contestants will remain seated at their respective contest tables to maintain order and eliminate any possible confusion. 

3. The contestants are responsible to maintain order and proper decorum in the holding rooms.

 

2:00 p.m.

Contest rooms opened for seating 

 

2:15 p.m.

Contest moderators escort judges to respective contest rooms.

  

2:15 p.m.

Campus tour
Meet at Central Hall (Clock Tower)

 

2:30 p.m.

Semifinal contests begin 

(Consult Contest Pairing Brackets for 
Contestant Assignments and Contest Results)


LANE HALL SEMIFINAL CONTESTS

CONTEST ROOM

ASSIGNED TOPIC PREPARATION ROOM

SEMIFINAL 1 – Winner to National Final
 

LANE HALL, ROOM  124 (Lower Level)

ROOM  126 (Ground Level)

SEMIFINAL 2 – Winner to National Final
 

LANE HALL, ROOM  235 (Ground Level)

ROOM  232 (Ground Level)

SEMIFINAL 3 – Winner to National Final
  

LANE HALL, ROOM  336 (Upper Level)

ROOM  339 (Upper Level)

HOLDING ROOMS

Holding Room 1

Holding Room 2

ROOM  233 (Ground Level)

ROOM  231 (Ground Level)

 

NOTES

1. The assigned topic preparation room monitor will be called upon to assist with the drawing of the assigned topic. Upon completion of the drawing the monitor will proceed to Holding Room Two to get contestant 1 and their escort, proceed to respective Assigned Topic Preparation Room, and begin five-minute assigned topic preparation. 

2. Upon completion of assigned topic presentation, contestant is to be escorted to Holding Room One. 

3. Upon completion of the contest, the usher will proceed to Holding Room One to escort contestants back to their respective contest rooms for introduction of the contestants by the contest moderators. Upon completion contestants will be dismissed, and contest moderators will proceed to the Judges’ Room (Hoynak) for tabulation of contest. 

4. The contest results (winners) will be posted on the Contest Pairing Bracket chart.


4:30 p.m. – 5:15 p.m.

Scoring of Semifinals Round

 

5:15 p.m. (approx.)

Contest Office Closes

 

5:30 p.m.

Finalist interviews
Meet at Room G on Upper level Dow Conference Center for escort to interview location

 

6:15 p.m.

Outside Searle Center (Where shuttles dropped off on Friday)
 Shuttles to American Legion Post 53 for Volunteer/Staff Reception

 

6:30 p.m.

Gillespie (Upper level in Dow Conference Center)
 Invited guests to National Finals Judges’ Reception and Dinner

 

7:30 p.m.

Phi Sig Pavilion
 Contestant Pizza Party

 

7:30 p.m.

Searle Center
 Chaperones’ Dinner

 

CAFETERIA WILL BE CLOSED FOR DINNER

 

                                         

SUNDAY, MAY 17, 2026 

7:00 a.m. – 8:30 a.m.

(Grewcock Student Union)
 Cafeteria open for breakfast

  

7:00 a.m.

Beckett
 Contest office opens

 

7:15 a.m.

Flagpole Outside Searle Center
Flag Raising with American Legion Hillsdale Post 53 Honor Guard
PLEASE PLAN TO ATTEND 

 

7:45 a.m.

Hoynak
 Contest staff (timekeepers, assigned topic preparation room monitor, escorts, ushers) 
 report for National Finals Contest briefing.

 

8:00 a.m.

Plaster Auditorium
 Media Staff  prepare contestants with microphones, sound checks, etc.

 

8:45 a.m.

Plaster Auditorium
 National finalists and escorts report for final contest instructions & five-minute acoustic check for each contestant/drawing of speaking order. Upon completion of final contest instructions/drawing of speaking order, contestants are to be taken to Holding Room One by the escorts.

 

9:00 a.m.

Gillespie
 National final judges briefing
 Paul Espinoza and John Looker – Judging & Tabulating Leads 

 

NOTES

  1. Only the contestants, escorts, assigned topic preparation room monitor, and contest moderator will be allowed in the holding rooms.
  2. The contestants are responsible to maintain order and proper decorum in the holding rooms.

 

9:30 a.m.

Plaster Auditorium
Auditorium opened for seating
 Contest staff in respective positions

 

9:55 a.m.

Plaster Auditorium
Contest judges to Plaster Auditorium
 Escort: Paul Espinoza & John Looker, Judging & Tabulating Leads

 

10:00 a.m.

  • National Final Contest begins
     Group picture of all contestants will be taken at the conclusion of the contest on the stage.


CONTEST ROOM

ASSIGNED TOPIC PREPARATION ROOM

PLASTER AUDITORIUM

ROOM F (Upper Level Dow Conference Center)

HOLDING ROOMS

Holding Room 1

Holding Room 2

CAMPUS VIEW (Upper Level Dow Conference Center)

GILLESPIE (Upper Level Dow Conference Center)


 

1:00 p.m.

Searle Center
Awards Banquet

 

3:15 p.m. (approximate time)

Outside Searle Center
 Outbound buses to Detroit Airport

 

DINNER - BOXED MEALS WILL BE PROVIDED FOR THOSE STAYING OVER NIGHT

 

 

MONDAY, MAY 18, 2026

8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Beckett
 Contest office open for equipment/supply pickup