Southwest Baptist University News Release
Contact: Sharina Smith, Office of Marketing & Communications
BOLIVAR, Mo. – The Southwest Baptist University speech and debate team saw its first action of the 2010-2011 season Oct. 1-2 at John Brown University in Siloam Springs, Ark. SBU was represented by a team of six students, most of whom were new to intercollegiate forensics. Despite their youth, the team brought home seventeen awards in both speech and debate and finished in fourth place in the overall sweepstakes standings.
“These results confirm our confidence in the potential of this very young team,” said Dr. David Bailey, director of forensics. “We look forward to their future endeavors as they improve upon their craft.”
Senior Jordan Hart (Lamar Mo.) was crowned tournament champion in International Public Debate. He also received top honors in Pentathlon (an event that measures a student’s overall contribution to his or her team by considering their placement in each individual event.) Aside from winning the tournament’s pentathlon competition, he was also the second place speaker in Public Debate. In the remainder of his individual speech events, Jordan took home second place in Communication Analysis, Persuasive Speaking, and Impromptu Speaking while finishing third in Extemporaneous Speaking.
Although this was her first experience in intercollegiate forensics competition, senior Lauren Potts (Ventura, Calif.) was the first place speaker in novice International Public Debate. She also came home with a sixth place finish in Prose Interpretation and the “Top Novice” award in Program of Oral Interpretation.
Junior Chelsea Turner (Sedalia, Mo.) reached the Octafinals of International Public Debate. Freshman Matt Adams (Firestone, Colo.) finished in sixth place in novice Extemporaneous Speaking and took home fifth place in After Dinner Speaking. Freshman Kayla Duffey (Billings, Mo.) was named the “Top Novice” in Persuasive Speaking and received sixth place honors in novice Poetry Interpretation. Freshman David White (Springfield, Mo.) earned “Top Novice” honors in both Communication Analysis and Editorial Impromptu.
“We’re proud of the energy and effort put forth by our students,” said Jordan Compton, assistant director of forensics.
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Southwest Baptist University is a leader among private universities in truly integrating Christ-centered academic pursuits with comprehensive professional programs at an affordable price. Since 1878, the faculty and staff have created a caring, academic community to prepare students to be servant leaders in a global society. The University has been named one of America’s Best Christian Colleges® for 14 consecutive years, one of America’s 100 Best College Buys® for 15 consecutive years, and it has been named among institutions with America’s Best College Scholarships ® for the past four years by Institutional Research and Evaluation, Inc. For more information, visit www.SBUniv.edu.
SBU’s Office of Marketing & Communications is available to news media 24/7 at 417-399-7918.
