The UWM Chinese Program is thrilled to celebrate the outstanding achievements of Beatrice Ephraim, Hyejeong Song, Ian Brown, and Emilio De Torre, who took home gold and silver medals in the First-Year Student Group at the 2026 Midwest University Chinese Speech Contest.
Hosted by Northwestern University on May 16, 2026, the competition brought together 48 contestants from 12 universities across Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Michigan, Iowa, and Kansas. Participants were judged on both formal Chinese speeches and cultural talent performances.
Beatrice Ephraim-Gold Medal
Beatrice captivated the audience and judges by sharing her Chinese learning journey, which blossomed from a Chinese calligraphy class into formal language courses. She paired her speech with a warm, interactive vocal performance that delighted both the audience and the panel of judges.
Hyejeong Song-Silver Medal
Hyejeong’s speech explored the cultural similarities between China and Korea while reflecting on her rapid progress in the Chinese language. She followed her speech with a lovely performance of a popular Chinese song that trully resonated with everyone in attendance.
Ian Brown-Silver Medal
A fresh Spring 2026 UWM graduate, Ian celebrated his final semester by sharing his future plans in China and presenting his own Chinese calligraphy piece to the judges. He was cheered on in the audience by his proud parents and grandparents.
Emilio De Torre -Silver Medal
Emilio drew from personal inspiration for his speech, sharing his memorable experiences traveling in China. He then enchanted the room with a live violin performance of the Chinese classic, “The Butterfly Lovers.”
Congratulations to these exceptional students for representing UWM so brilliantly on the regional stage!
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