Another Successful Year for Lander Students at South Carolina Speech and Theatre College Festival

GREENWOOD, S.C.—Saturday, April 6, marked the third year in a row that a Lander University student has won the Triathlon Award from the South Carolina Speech and Theatre Association’s annual College Festival. 

This award is given to one student who competed in at least three categories, and who earned the highest total combined score. This year, the Triathlon Award was given to senior media and communication major Quinn McKee, who also took first place in the Poetry Interpretation competition, second place in the Animated Voiceover Acting competition, and second place in the Duet Musical competition. McKee also gave a stellar performance in the Persuasive Speaking competition.

McKee was one of several Lander students who received awards for their participation at this year’s festival, held on the campus of Newberry College. Lander students competed against peers from other two- and four-year institutions in South Carolina. Other winners include:

• Sarah Hamson, a senior English major from Anderson, took second place in the Prose Interpretation competition.

• Benjamin Bagwell, a sophomore music major from Greenwood, took first place in the Musical Audition competition.

• Katherine Wagner, a senior nursing major from Union, took second place in the Audition Monologues competition.

• Alex Moreno, a senior media and communication major from Simpsonville, received third place in the Original Spoken Word competition, and first place in the Animated Voiceover Acting competition.

Also competing from Lander were Zachary Lang, a sophomore exercise science major from Corona, California; Ryan Thornton, a senior cybersecurity major from Anderson; and Catherine Jordan, a senior media and communication major from Prosperity. 

In addition to students receiving awards, Monique Sacay-Bagwell, professor of speech and performance at Lander, accepted the South Carolina Speech and Theatre Award on behalf of the late Joe Timmons, a theatre education alumnus of Lander. Timmons received the award posthumously for his passion and dedication to promoting speech and theatre in South Carolina.

“These statewide competitions continue to demonstrate that our students have the competitive edge in creativity and communication,” said Sacay-Bagwell, “which are essential skills to have in all career paths.”

Lander University’s Department of Media and Communication helps students turn their love of information into an exciting profession. The program’s curriculum incorporates a variety of communication-related courses, ensuring that students leave Lander with a competitive edge in the fast-paced worlds of television, radio, public relations, online media, newspapers, magazines, corporate audio and video, voice acting, speech and more. For more information, visit www.lander.edu/media.

Cutline: Pictured is Quinn McKee, a senior media and communication major at Lander, who received the Triathlon Award from the South Carolina Speech and Theatre Association’s annual College Festival on Saturday, April 6.