The University of Portland Speech and Debate Union competed at the 84th Annual R. D. Mahaffey Memorial Speech and Debate Tournament at Linfield College over the weekend of November 15-16. Senior biology major Elizabeth Hartley earned first place honors as Best Speaker in Open/Senior International Public Debate. She was also one of two of UP quarterfinalists in Senior International Public Debate. Junior global business major Anna Murphy won a Top 11 Speaker award in Open/Senior International Public Debate, and was the second UP team member to win a quarterfinalist award.
For the first time in many years, the University of Portland Speech and Debate Union competed in not only the International Public Debate Association (IPDA), but also through the National Parliamentary Debate Association (NPDA). The University’s NPDA team was made up of freshman political science major Alex Parini and freshman education major Pat Johnson. They debated in the Junior tier of NPDA debate and placed in the octofinals, competing against debaters with more collegiate debating experience.
For more information contact UP speech and debate co-director Bohn Lattin, communication studies, at 7352 or lattin@up.edu.