The following introductions of both the Debate Team and Speech Team are from short interviews with the directors of both teams: Professor Michael Davis and Professor Lee Mayfield. Both teams are open to anyone who is interested in joining! Both directors would love to be contacted for any students interested in either of the organizations.
Contact information for both teams are provided below. Anyone interested is strongly encouraged to contact both directors.
The JMU Debate Team recently completed another successful year. The team finished the year ranked 9th in both the National Debate Tournament’s and the Cross Examination Debate Association’s National rankings. This is the 5th consecutive year that the team has finished in the top ten.
This week, people in SCOM hosted and participated in many events. Here is the week in review:
SCOM Speech Team
The senior members of the JMU Speech Team traveled to San Marcos, TX to compete in the Hill Country Swing hosted by The University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University. Both days of competition found the team competing against 13 teams from across 5 states including; Rice University, Texas A&M, Doane College, Colorado College, LSU, among others. With only ten events in the tournament the first day’s competition found 7 of the 10 events from JMU in the final rounds of competition and 6 events in finals the second day of competition. The individual results are as follows:
Day 1 (September 21)
Shelby Akins (Sr, SCOM) 6th place Informative Speaking, 4th place Communication Analysis
Zach Healy (Sr, SCOM/SMAD) 3rd place Informative Speaking, 3rd place Poetry Interpretation
Katie Lese (Sr, SCOM) 2nd place Informative Speaking, Champion Prose Interpretation, 4th place Dramatic Interpretation, 2nd Overall Top Speaker
The team finished 2nd Overall Top Team to UT-Austin (a team of 33 members)
Day 2 (September 22)
Shelby Akins Champion Communication Analysis
Zach Healy Champion Prose Interpretation, 3rd place Duo Interpretation
Katie Lese 2nd place Informative Speaking, 3rd place Duo Interpretation, 3rd Dramatic Interpretation
The team finished 4th overall on day two
For the weekend, JMU was recognized as the 2nd Top Team and Katie Lese was recognized as the 2nd Overall Top Speaker, Zach Healy was recognized as the 3rd Top Speaker, and Shelby Akins was recognized as the 10th Top Speaker out of over 130 competitors. If you have any of these amazing students in your classes please thank them for the job they have done representing our program and JMU.
The team next travels to Lynchburg University this weekend to compete in the Liberty University/SNAFU Swing Tournament.
Alumni Visit to Campus
Brian Hrubick (’11, Fleishman-Hillard) and Kara Frank (’12. Adfero Group) speaks at PRSSA meeting on Monday.
After teaching digital strategies in PR writing at Dr. Bauer’s class, Brian and Kara gave job advice and shared their work experiences as young public relations professionals at the PRSSA meeting.
We always appreciate our alumni coming back to the campus and support SCOM students. Thank you, Brian and Kara!!
On Tuesday September 24, 2013 the Office of International Programs and Madison Debate Society sponsored a public debate on the topic: Resolved: U.S. warrantless wiretapping has done more harm than good for society.
