UPbeat

News for and about University of Portland faculty and staff.

Speech and Debate Union

Speech & Debate Union Competes, Wins On National Level

parini copyUniversity of Portland Speech and Debate Union member Alex Parini (pictured), political science, was named as the 1st Place Speaker at the 2015 International Public Debate Association national tournament, held March 27-29 at Boise State University. Parini competed against 114 of the nation’s finest debaters to win this prestigious award. Out of 114 debaters, three UP Speech and Debate Union members (Patrick Johnson, education, Catherine Wilson, political science, and Arthur Hammer, business administration), ranked among the best 32 debaters in the nation based on their win-loss record. Parini advanced to the top 16 based on his win-loss record.

For more information contact Bohn Lattin, communication studies, at 7352 or lattin@up.edu.

Speech & Debate Union Success

speechDebateThe University of Portland Speech and Debate Union had a successful weekend at the Pi Kappa Delta national competition held in Indiana over the weekend of March 20-23. Winners include:

  • Lisa Holm (junior, organizational communications) won 9th speaker in novice International Public Debate Association (IPDA) debate.
  • Chelsea Roberts (junior, communication studies) won 10th speaker and advanced to the octo-final round (top 16) of open IPDA debate.
  • Lakshmi Diener (sophomore, communication studies) advanced to the octo-final round (top 16) of novice IPDA debate.
  • Elizabeth Hartley (junior, biology, president of UP Speech and Debate Union) advanced to the quarterfinal round (top 8) of open IPDA debate and won an Excellence award for her informative speech.

For more information contact Brian Simmons, communication studies, at 8025 or simmonsb@up.edu.

UP Speech & Debate Union To Attend National Tournament

new_key_tranparentThe University of Portland Speech and Debate Union competed at the Earl Wells Memorial Speech and Debate Tournament at Oregon State University in Corvallis, Ore., over the weekend of February 22-23. Based on the team’s success, the UP Speech and Debate Union will attend the Pi Kappa Delta National Comprehensive Tournament in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 21-23. Students were awarded the following honors at the tournament in Corvallis:

  • Patrick Dolan (freshman, biochemistry) won a Bronze Medal for finishing in the top 6 in the Novice division of debate.
  • Lakshmi Diener (freshman, communication studies) won 3rd place in the Novice division of Persuasive Speaking.
  • Elizabeth Hartley (junior, biology) won 1st place in the Open division of Extemporaneous Speaking.
  • Lisa Holm (sophomore, communication studies) won a Bronze Medal for finishing in the top 6 in the Novice division of debate and won 5th best speaker in that division.
  • Katie Wilson (junior, political science) won 5th best speaker in the Open division of debate.
  • Karina Agbisit (freshman, environmental studies) won 4th place in the Novice division of Persuasive Speaking.

For more information contact co-directors Brian Simmons at 8025 (simmonsb@up.edu), or Bohn Lattin at 7352 (lattin@up.edu).

Speech & Debate Union Results

simmons copyThe University of Portland’s Speech and Debate Union competed last weekend at the Fred Scheller Memorial Speech and Debate Tournament at Pacific University, according to Brian Simmons, communication studies. Congratulations are due to the following students on their impressive accomplishments at that speech and debate tournament:

Patrick Dolan (FR, biochemistry) finished in the top 10 and earned the 7th Best Speaker overall in the Novice division.

Lakshmi Diener (FR, communication studies) finished in the top 10 and earned the 1st Best Speaker overall in the Novice division.

Chelsea Roberts (JR, communication studies) finished in the top 15 and earned the 11th Best Speaker overall in the Junior division.

John Russell (SR, civil engineering) finished in the top 4 and earned the 10th best Speaker overall in the Open division).

For more information contact Simmons at 8025 or simmonsb@up.edu.

McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl

The first annual McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl was held on Saturday, April 20, according to CAS dean Michael Andrews. The event was sponsored by Andrews, who serves as the McNerney-Hanson Endowed Chair in Ethics, with additional support from the Dundon-Berchtold Ethics Grant. Two UP teams took part: one team of graduate students from Pamplin School of Business, and a second team of undergraduate students from the Speech and Debate Union. Special thanks go out to Bohn Lattin and Brian Simmons, communication studies; Richard Askay and Andrew Eshleman, philosophy; and Brian Adams, business administration.

Unlike other ethics bowl competitions, the McNerney-Hanson Ethics Bowl reflects a particular UP emphasis on ethical formation and the study and articulation of ethical theory and practice. The purpose is to expose graduate and undergraduate students to a philosophical kind of reflective, ethical thinking that allows them to apply an understanding of ethics to a particular situation or issue. For more information contact Andrews at 7760 or andrews@up.edu.

Speech/Debate Nationals

The University of Portland Speech and Debate Union sent four representatives to the Pi Kappa Delta National Speech and Debate Tournament in St. Louis, MO over spring break. Congratulations to sophomore Katie Wilson, who competed against debaters from 89 schools across the country and finished the tournament as a quarterfinalist (top 8 in the nation) and was deemed to be among the top 10 percent of all debate speakers in the nation. For more information contact Brian Simmons (simmons@up.edu) and Bohn Lattin (lattin@up.edu).

Speech and Debate Team

The University’s Speech and Debate Union competed against 15 regional colleges and universities under the direction of Bohn Lattin and Brian Simmons, communication studies, at Oregon State University’s ninth annual Earl Wells Speakeasy Memorial Tournament held in Corvallis on February 23-24. Katie Husk and Katie Wilson placed in the top 10 of the 85 Open Division debaters. Caleb Patterson placed in the top 6 of the 35 competitors in the Novice Division of the Extempor­aneous Speaking event.