Weishaupt places second nationally in C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest

Rylee Weishaupt, a May 2025 Hesston College graduate, earned second place nationally in the C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest, a competition hosted annually by Mennonite Central Committee.

Weishaupt first earned top honors at Hesston College’s local competition in May with her speech, “Don’t Get Yourself Killed,” presented as the culminating project in the Peacemaking and Justice course. Her speech examined how cultural narratives surrounding self-defense and aggression shape people’s understanding of safety and invited listeners to consider peace-centered alternatives rooted in Anabaptist-Mennonite theology.

After her first place win at Hesston College advanced her to the national round, Weishaupt’s message then resonated with the next round of judges for its clarity, conviction and thoughtful engagement with real-world concerns.

“What stood out to me about Rylee’s speech was the bravery that it takes to be nonviolent,” shares Nick Ladd, Weishaupt’s Peacemaking and Justice professor. “Many people think those who are nonviolent are weak or scared, and Rylee did a great job explaining how much bravery and guts it takes to truly work for nonviolence and peace.”

Weishaupt came in second in the competition after Naomi Lapp Klassen of Goshen College, with Teena Faust from Conrad Grebel University College earning third place.

The C. Henry Smith Peace Oratorical Contest has been held annually since 1974 and encourages emerging young leaders from Anabaptist colleges across the United States and Canada to engage questions of justice, peacemaking and shared responsibility within society.