National First Prize! WKU Student Excels in the 30th “21st Century Cup” National English Speaking Competition

November 13-17, the Grand Final of the 30th “21st Century Cup” National English Speaking Competition was held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang.

Wu Yichen, a senior Finance major at WKU, won the First Prize in the Grand Final, emerging as the top scorer in his divison. This marks the first time our student has won a national First Prize in this competition. 

More than 350 contestants from universities nationwide took part in the event. With the theme “Living within and beyond the 21st century,” participants delivered thought-provoking and inspiring speeches.

The Grand Final consisted of three rounds. The first round featured a paired impromptu session on the same topic. In the second-round semifinals, contestants presented a four-minute prepared speech on “Living within and beyond the 21st century,” followed by a two-minute impromptu speech and a two-minute Q&A session.

In the final round, 21 contestants delivered a four-minute prepared speech on “Bridging divisions through shared stories,” followed by impromptu speaking and Q&A.

The competition comprehensively evaluated contestants’ English proficiency and adaptability under pressure. Wu’s excellent performance showed both his solid language abilities and his calm, confident delivery, reflecting the overall strength of WKU students.

Wu's giving a speech in the grand final

English Language Center

Wenzhou-Kean University