SMU News – SMU debaters advanced to the finals of varsity level of the International Public Debate Association tournament at Bowling Green, Ohio. The tournament was conducted online and hosted more than 40 universities. This was the largest tournament competition for SMU since the beginning of the 2022-2023 season. SMU was the only university to advance three competitors in the two divisions (novice and varsity) of semifinal debates reserved for the top eight debaters in the tournament. A total of 45 students competed in the novice and varsity divisions of the tournament.Evangeline Bulick (novice), Kaleb Simes and Eric Ryan advanced to the semifinal rounds. Simes and Ryan met insemifinals and Simes advanced to finals against the University of Alabama based on a coaches decision. Both Simes and Ryan were 3-1 in preliminary rounds.
SMU finished 3rd place overall in team sweepstakes of debate among the more than 40 universities competing nationwide. Students representing SMU included: Davis Lynn, Hailey Hazen, Eric Ryan, Kaleb Simes, EvangelineBulick, Diego Perez and Sarah Mende . SMU won more than 60 percent of their debate rounds.
Universities SMU competed against included:
Arkansas State University, Bethel College, BGSU Firelands College, Bowling Green State University, Capital University, Casper College, Denison University, Dordt University, Eastern Michigan University, Emerson College,Grove City College, Grand Canyon University, George Mason University, Hillsdale College, Howard Payne University, John Carroll University, Kent State University, Lewis & Clark College, Louisiana State University, McKendree University, Mississippi State University, Mt. Hood Community College, North Central College, Ohio University, Otterbein University, Prairie State College, Rice University, Saginaw Valley State University, Saint Mary’s College of California, St. Anselm College, St Mary’s College of California, Sterling College, Southern Methodist University, Texas A&M University, Tyler Junior College, University of California-Davis, University of North Carolina-Charlotte, University of Alabama, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, University of Washington Bothell, Wayne State University, West Chester University, Whitman College
SMU Speech and Debate is sponsored by Dedman College and collaborates with Honors program in Clements Hall.SMU Speech and Debate has a pedagogical mission of equipping individuals to have their voice. The program isdirected by Dr. Ben Voth, professor of rhetoric.
For more information, contact Dr. Voth at bvoth@smu.edu