Passion, outreach represented among 3MP winners

Monday, November 14, 2016

Three Minute Presentation competitors must explain the relevance of their field of study to a general audience in three minutes or less. Natalie Miller, the competition winner, finished her talk before running out of time.

Winners of the second annual OSU Graduate College’s Three Minute Presentation (3MP) competition November 10 impressed judges with talks about the potential for those with disabilities and opportunities for international farmers. All 12 3MP finalists shared their expertise and explained the importance of their fields of study while doing it in three minutes or less.

The top finishers in the 2016 Three Minute Presentation were (from right) first place Natalie Miller, MS in communication sciences and disorders, third place Tanner Roark and second place Grant Lapke, both master's students in international agriculture.

Natalie Miller, a master’s student in communication sciences and disorders from Yukon, was selected by the judges as the 2016 3MP winner with her presentation, “Effective Communication: The Hidden Potential of Autism.” Miller also won the People’s Choice Award, which is decided by a vote of audience members at the finals.

“I’m excited because it was truly a talk that I’m passionate about,” Miller said. “I want to work with those with disabilities, so people with autism have always held a special place in my heart.”

The second and third place finishers were both master’s students in international agriculture who spoke about the importance of educational opportunities and sharing knowledge among international farmers. Grant Lapke, from Lamotte, IA placed second with his presentation, “The J-1 Visa: Impacting International Agriculture” while Tanner Roark from Hutchinson, KS was third with his presentation, “Connecting Farmers to Grow Together.”

2016 3MP winner Natalie Miller, a master's student in communication sciences and disorders makes her presentation.

Miller received $1,000 for her first-place finish and $1,000 for the People’s Choice Award. Lapke earned $750 while Roark received $500.

Unlike the Three Minute Thesis ® (3MT) for graduate students in research-based degree programs, which will be held at OSU March 9, the 3MP is an opportunity for non-thesis master’s, education specialist and graduate certificate students to practice the skill of explaining to a general audience how their graduate discipline is relevant to society. The 3MP finals were judged by a diverse group of community members while the event emcee was Dr. Ken Eastman, dean of the Spears School of Business.

Graduate programs were also recognized with cash prizes for their students’ participation in the 3MP. The Spears School’s Management Information Systems master’s program received $1,000 for degree-related student travel expenses for having the most students in their professional development class making 3MP presentations. The College of Arts & Sciences’ Communication Sciences and Disorders program was awarded $600 for having the most contestants from a non-thesis master’s program.