BALDWIN ORATORICAL AWARD
A gift from the late D.P. Baldwin endowed an award to be given each year to the three Wabash students who "compose and pronounce the best orations."  The Baldwin Oratorical Contest is the oldest continuous public speaking contest west of the Alleghenies.  Thus, each Spring the Wabash Rhetoric Department sponsors the Baldwin Oratorical Contest and determines the top three speakers.

W.N. BRIGANCE SPEAKERS BUREAU AWARD
The William N. Brigance Speakers Bureau Award was established by May and James Ching, Class of 1951, in honor of William Norwood Brigance.  Brigance was a prominent scholar in the field of Speech and Rhetorical Studies, long time chairman of the Rhetoric Department, and founder of the Speaker's Bureau. This award goes to the Wabash student who has done the most for the Speaker's Bureau during his college career.

JOSEPH O'ROURKE, JR. AWARD IN Rhetoric
This year a new award has been established in honor of Joseph O'Rourke Jr., who retired last year after thirty-seven years with Wabash College - twenty of those as the Chairman of the Department.  Joe's family and friends in recognition of his creative teaching and long standing commitment to undergraduate achievement established this award.  The award is to be given to the graduating senior with the best Senior Project in the Rhetoric Department.

• Joseph O'Rourke, Jr. Award in Rhetoric
• 2008 Jared Conaway
• 2007 James Cole McGuffey
• 2006 David Fitzgerald
• 2005 David Pryzbylski
• 2004 Daniel McClamrock
• 2003 Justin Killian
• 2002 Kurt Casper
• 2001 John Wright
• 2000 Doug Dallmeyer
• 1999 K. Todd Dudley
• 1998 Kristofer Monson
• 1997 Joseph Klen