The Betty Balasi Speaking Contest – This contest is held in the Fall of each year for students enrolled in CMN 1310. Classes nominate students to represent them in the competition. A preliminary and final round are hosted by the department. The top five speakers receive certificates, the top three receive monetary awards. The class with the most students attending the final round receives a pizza party.

The Smith-Merritt Speaking Contest – This contest is held in the Spring of each year for students enrolled in CMN 1310. Classes nominate students to represent them in the competition. A preliminary and final round are hosted by the department. The top five speakers receive certificates, the top three receive monetary awards. The class with the most students attending the final round receives a pizza party.

The Bock Speaking Contest – This contest is held in the Spring of each year for undergraduate majors and minors in communication. A preliminary and final round are hosted by the department. The top five speakers receive certificates, the top three receive monetary awards.

Multimedia Project Competition – Each year the communication honorary sponsors a competition for the best multimedia projects. Multimedia projects are welcome from any undergraduate students majoring or minoring in Communication that are currently enrolled at Eastern Illinois University. Projects can utilize any multimedia medium. Limited multiple authorship is acceptable, but group projects are not. Projects may employ any technology. Some appropriate technologies include audio or video productions, multimedia presentations, and Web based materials. Presentations should be meaningful on their own and not require live interpretation or delivery.

A panel of faculty and students will review the projects. The top projects utilizing different formats and media will receive recognition at the annual awards reception. There is a cash prize for the top projects.

Research Paper Competition – Each year the communication honorary sponsors a paper writing competition. Papers should represent individual research and deal with any subject falling under the general area of communication arts and sciences such as rhetoric, interpersonal communication, mass communication, organizational communication, film, and telecommunications. Limited multiple authorship is acceptable but class projects are not. Papers may employ either a critical or behavioral methodology, and diversity of viewpoints and approaches are encouraged. Theoretical papers are acceptable as long as they add to the body of theory in communication arts and sciences. Papers which are only literature reviews are not appropriate.

The competition uses a process of blind review. A separate title page should include (1) a title and identification of the author(s); (2) address, telephone number, and electronic-mail address. To ensure blind review, there should be no author identification information in the text and references. Authors should submit three copies of manuscripts and retain the original. An abstract of 200 or fewer words should accompany the manuscript. Manuscripts, in general, should not exceed 30 pages or approximately 9,000 words (including references, notes, figures, and tables). Manuscripts should also be double-spaced throughout, including references and notes. Do not use right justification.

A panel of faculty and students will review the papers. The top three papers will receive recognition at the annual Awards Reception. There is a cash prize for the top three papers

The Fashing Soto Speech Scholarship Competition– Established in 2006 to support a student who demonstrates strong public speaking skills and an ability to connect current events to future career. The student receiving the scholarship must complete a manuscript connecting a current event with a future impact on a career and then present the speech to a faculty panel who will select a winner from among the finalists.