Frank Cahill, a UC Berkeley comparative literature Ph.D. student, is now a word panelist for the 100th Scripps National Spelling Bee. This event will feature 243 participants from all U.S. states, several territories, and five countries outside the U.S., airing live on May 28 and 29.
Cahill’s journey with spelling bees began in his youth. As an eighth grader in 2012, he competed in the Scripps National Spelling Bee but stumbled on the word “porwigle.” Despite this setback, Cahill’s passion for words grew. He describes his fascination as “intoxicating,” likening it to exploring new cultures through language.
In his current role, Cahill collaborates with a team to compile the competition’s word list from the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary. He emphasizes that while any dictionary word could appear, competitors must develop a comprehensive understanding of language to make educated guesses.
The bee week includes various stages: preliminaries with spelling and vocabulary tests, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, and finals. Special events will mark the competition’s centennial celebration.
On May 29, finalists will compete under intense scrutiny from both live audiences and millions of TV viewers. Cahill acknowledges the pressure but admires the spellers’ preparedness and composure. “They’re fully there, locked in,” he said.
The champion will receive a $50,000 prize after potentially dozens of rounds. Reflecting on his own experience, Cahill sees the bee as more than just winning; it’s about building confidence and curiosity in young people.
“Communicating well means being together well with other people,” he said. “And I think having that rich understanding of how words work helps impart that skill or that ethic or that set of values.”
For Cahill, competing was “magical,” and he hopes future participants share this sentiment for years to come.
