The second annual Student Speaker Challenge is set to kick off on Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A of the Students' Union Building.

A total of eight students are scheduled to take part in this year's event, addressing the question, "What is the value of post-secondary education to the world?"

The How Education Benefits the World Student Speaker Challenge is a collaboration of the Southern Alberta Council on Public Affairs (SACPA), the Lethbridge Public Interest Research Group (LPIRG) and the U of L Students' Union (ULSU), with support from the University of Lethbridge.

There will be four initial sessions each with two speakers. Two semifinal sessions will then be held, followed by one final session to determine who can best present and defend their ideas on the value of post-secondary education.

The challenge begins this week with student speakers Selin Bilgin and James Falconer as they square off for a chance to advance to the next round of the competition. A panel of judges and the audience will determine who advances to the second stage of the event and the chance to win the first prize of $500, a second prize of $300, or a third prize of $100.

The initial sessions will be held weekly, concluding Tuesday, Feb. 2. Semifinal sessions are scheduled for Feb. 23 and Mar. 2 with the final session on Tuesday, Mar. 9 at Andy's Place. Everyone is welcome to attend the sessions.

Student Speaker Challenge Session Schedule

Session 1 - Wednesday, Jan. 13 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroom A, SUB
Speakers - Selin Bilgin and James Falconer

Session 2 - Tuesday, Jan. 19 at 12:15 p.m. in Ballroon A, SUB
Speakers - Cashe Erskine and Keith McLaughlin

Session 3 - Wednesday, Jan. 27 at 12:15 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - Vanessa Lodermeier and Keith Gardner

Session 4 - Tuesday, Feb. 2 at 12:15 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - Kate Nesbitt and Saikat Basu

Semifinal Sessions

Tuesday, Feb. 23 at 4:30 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Tuesday, Mar. 2 at 4:30 p.m. in Galileo's, SUB
Speakers - TBA

Final Session - Tuesday, Mar. 9 at 7 p.m. in Andy's Place (AH100)