Student from Clarks Summit wins Juniata’s Bailey Oratorical

Dan Cummins, a senior from Clarks Summit, delivered an impassioned speech Feb. 28 about the health dangers of cell phone addiction in his winning speech at Juniata College’s 114th Bailey Oratorical. “For the individuals of our generation to reach their full potential for health and wellbeing, we need to address our addiction to our phones,” said Cummins, who is studying accounting with a secondary emphasis in philosophy. “To do so will require a radical new approach that allows us to reprogram our brain.” Inspired by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ launch of “Healthy People 2030,” an initiative designed to identify priorities for addressing the holistic conditions that affect the quality of life, finalists were asked, “What issue or condition needs to be addressed for individuals and communities to reach their full potential for health and wellbeing?” “So, how do we escape? Science is increasingly pointing to the simple act of learning to do nothing: meditation,” Cummins said. “Now, if most of you are like I was, you are skeptical of the idea that closing your eyes, taking a few deep breaths, and focusing on yourself can actually change your brain. But the remarkable fact of the matter is, it can.” Cummins is captain of Juniata’s nationally-ranked Mock Trial Team and is also a part of the Tau Pi Phi Business Honor Society and Pi Sigma Alpha Politics Honor Society. He is also a portfolio manager with the Eagle Fund (a student-managed investment fund) and captain of two intramural sports teams, flag football and soccer. Cummins plans to attend law school after graduating from Juniata in May. “We celebrate this oratorical contest as the oldest ongoing tradition of academic excellence at Juniata College,” said Lauren Bowen, acting president and provost, of the event established in 1910. “Traditions aren’t sustained without a sense of purpose or an ongoing commitment from a wide array of folks.” Cummins’ compelling speech earned him the $1,000 grand prize and the honor of having his name inscribed on the historic Bailey Oratorical loving cup. In second place, winning the $700 award, was Lillian Case of Reading, who is studying business analytics, and who presented a compelling speech on the ability of libraries to combat loneliness. In third place, winning the $500 award, was Gillian Cunningham of Dallastown, who is studying environmental science and spoke on the subject of comprehensive sex education. Isabel Kruse of Huntingdon, who is studying international politics with a secondary emphasis in data science, received the People’s Choice Award, a text-to-vote poll where audience members choose their favorite speech. Kruse emphasized the importance of connection on college campuses in promoting a healthy environment. The event also featured powerful speeches by finalists Nicole Montes Pérez of South Gate, Calif., who is studying environmental studies with a secondary emphasis in politics; Yoselin Kearney of Philadelphia, who is studying media studies and production; and Molly Sheets of Ada, Ohio, who is studying culture and communication. “We gather not just as spectators but as witnesses to the power of eloquence and diverse voices,” said Sarah Worley, professor of communication and chair of the Communication Department. “The Bailey Oratorical is more than just a contest; it is a platform for the exchange of ideas, a celebration of articulate minds, and a testament to the importance of free speech, which shapes our shared future.” The original Bailey Oratorical Award was established in 1910 by Letitia Fisher Bailey and the Honorable Thomas F. Bailey, who served as president judge of Huntingdon County from 1916 to 1936. The contest is named in honor of John M. Bailey, the father of Thomas Bailey and a former Huntingdon County president judge. The oratorical contest, a competition in which students from all areas of study can vie for the monetary prize, has a long tradition at Juniata College. The original prizes for the contest were $15 and $25. An endowment created by Judge Bailey’s son-in-law, Colonel Sedgley Thornbury, provides the contest’s prize money. The winners’ names are permanently inscribed on an antique cup presented to the college by Colonel Thornbury’s son, Thomas Bailey Thornbury.