Being one of the smaller university squads in the competition didn’t stop the Kansas Wesleyan University Debate and Forensics squad from having a big impact on the 47th Pi Kappa Delta National Tournament this past week in Portland, Oregon. The tournament was hosted by Mt. Hood Community College March 23-26, 2011.
“The squad made a large impact on this year’s PKD Tournament, placing seventh out of 86 colleges and universities in Overall School Individual Events Sweepstakes competition,” said Gary Harmon, Director of the Forensics and Debate Program at KWU.
The Coyote squad was led by senior Meriah Forbes, Hutchinson, who was named a Pi Kappa Delta All American. Harmon explained that Pi Kappa Delta awards only 10 All-American designations every two years, making the award the most competitive and sought after award of the tournament. In order to qualify for this award, students must maintain at least a 3.5 grade average, be active in squad and school government and activities, participate in numerous public service endeavors, and be competitive in debate and forensics competition nationally, Harmon said.
Forbes is the first KWU student to be named a Pi Kappa Delta All American.
In addition to Forbes’ honor, three Coyotes placed in the top five in specific individual events competition. Harmon said that most of the individual events each had more than 120 competitors. Freshman Allexis Lightsey, Hutchinson, placed third in After Dinner Speaking. Freshman Kourtney Maison, El Dorado, placed fourth in Prose Interpretation. Forbes placed fifth in Extemporaneous Speaking.
Other Coyote placings that contributed to KWU’s seventh-place in Individual Events Sweepstakes include the following.
Sophomore Kiefer Storrer, Osage City, placed 12th in Extemporaneous Speaking, 19th in Broadcast Journalism, and 22nd in Editorial Impromptu Speaking. Senior Andrew Moffitt, Wichita, placed 14th in Broadcast Journalism and 24th in Editorial Impromptu Speaking. Forbes placed 12th in Impromptu Speaking. Maison placed 18th in Program of Oral Interpretation. Lightsey and Forbes also placed 12th in Duo Interpretation.
In Parliamentary Debate, freshman Tonya Powers, Hutchinson, and Maison placed fourth in Junior Varsity Parliamentary Debate. Forbes placed 25th in the open division of Public Debate.