Feature, Results

Texas Speech: 2016 AFA National Champions!

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The University of Texas Speech Team are the recipients of the 2016 team National Championship for the American Forensic Association.

The 2016 AFA National Individual Events Tournament was hosted April 1-4 at the University of Florida in Gainesville. The University of Texas Speech Team ranked first nationally with a team record 581.5 points, the second highest total in the history of the tournament. Texas Speech was followed by Western Kentucky University (529 points), George Mason University (388 points), Bradley University (253 points), and the University of Nebraska at Omaha (233.5 points) to round out the top five national programs. The remainder of the top ten (in order) included the University of Alabama, Arizona State University, Wiley College, Illinois State University, and the University of Nebraska at Lincoln.

Texas Speech senior Farrah Bara was selected prior to the tournament as UT’s 12th AFA All-American, and soundly defended her overall individual national championship from 2015 while setting a national record with 181 total points in 2016. She also won the national championship in Persuasive Speaking and defended her national title in Communication Analysis, among other accolades.

Senior Kevin King defended his 2015 national championship in Informative Speaking and was the national runner-up in both Communication Analysis and Persuasive Speaking, while placing 4th overall.

Seniors Lizzette Marrero and Alexa Thomas were awarded the national championship in Duo Interpretation, while Sophomore Abigail Onwunali won the national title in Dramatic Interpretation.

Junior Alishan Alibhai (15th) and Senior Xavier Clark (17th) were also recognized in the top 20 overall speakers nationally.

The performance was the single best performance ever by University of Texas students. By winning six of the twelve total individual national championships awarded by the American Forensic Association, Texas Speech students set an all-time national record. Individual accolades are listed below.

 

Individual Awards Detail

Farrah Bara (Lib Arts – Middle Eastern Studies Senior)

  • AFA All-American
  • National Champion, Overall Speaker
  • National Champion, Communication Analysis
  • National Champion, Persuasive Speaking
  • National Runner-Up, Extemporaneous Speaking
  • National Runner-Up, After Dinner Speaking
  • National Runner-up, Impromptu Speaking
  • 3rd place, Informative Speaking

Kevin King (Lib Arts – Government Senior)

  • National Champion, Informative Speaking
  • National Runner-up, Persuasive Speaking
  • National Runner-up, Communication Analysis
  • 5th place, Program Oral Interpretation
  • 4th place, Overall Speaker

Alexa Thomas (Comm – Public Relations Senior)

  • National Champion, Duo Interpretation (with Lizzette Marrero)
  • 3rd place, Prose Interpretation
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Program Oral Interpretation

Lizzette Marrero (Lib Arts – Government & Global Studies Senior)

  • National Champion, Duo Interpretation (with Alexa Thomas)
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), After Dinner Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation (with Julio Gonzalez)

Abigail Onwunali (Nat Sciences – Human Development & Family Sciences)

  • National Champion, Dramatic Interpretation
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Poetry Interpretation
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Prose Interpretation
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation (with Xavier Clark)

Alex Bergeron (Comm – Corp Com Senior)

  • 5th place, Prose Interpretation

Ali Shan Ali Bhai (Lib Arts – Plan II Junior)

  • 4th place, Extemporaneous Speaking
  • 14th place, Overall Speaker
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), Communication Analysis
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), Informative Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Impromptu Speaking

Xavier Clark (Comm – Political Communication Senior)

  • 4th place, Program Oral Interpretation
  • 17th place, Overall Speaker
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Dramatic Interpretation
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Poetry Interpretation
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation (with Abigail Onwunali)

Arel Rende (Business Sophomore)

  • 5th place, Extemporaneous Speaking

Cole Hanzlicek (Lib Arts – Government Junior)

  • 5th place, Informative Speaking

Derrek Chung (Lib Arts – Government Junior)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Persuasive Speaking
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Extemporaneous Speaking

Marianna Garcia (Comm – Political Communication Sophomore)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Prose Interpretation
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Program Oral Interpertation

Mary Claire Phillips (Lib Arts – Government Freshman)

  • National Quarter-finalists (top 24), Duo Interpretation

Julio Gonzalez (Comm – Public Relations & Lib Arts – Plan II Junior)

  • National Quarter-finalists (top 24), Duo Interpretation with Lizzette Marrero

Terran Duhon (Lib Arts – Rhetoric & Writing Senior)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Prose Interpretation
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking

Blake Bergeron (Bus – Finance Sophomore)

  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Communication Analysis
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Persuasive Speaking

Seis Steves (Comm – Advertising & Lib Arts – English Freshman)

  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation (with Bianca Montgomery)

Bianca Montgomery (Undeclared Freshman)

  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation (with Seis Steves)

Additional National Championship Team Members not receiving separate individual awards:

Congratulations to the following students who also qualified for the competition, but were not advanced to award rounds: Cimmiaron Alvarez, Jordan Auzenne, Macy Bayern, Govinda Dass, Rachel Evans, Angelo Gaunichaux, Collin Hopkins, Suchinder Kalyan, Alex Meed, Sana Moti, Andrew Rodriguez, Jordan Rojas, Cameron Smith, Steven Villescas

 

Complete results for the national contest are available at: http://www.speechwire.com/afa16.pdf

For more information about the American Forensic Association, see their website at: http://afa-niet.org

For more information about Texas Speech, contact Director Randy Cox, Moody College of Communication, at mrcox@austin.utexas.edu

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Feature, Prospective Team Members, Team

Prospective Team Members

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The team is very much a pedagogically focused team. What that means is that we are concerned primarily with a complete educational process directed towards the goal of excellence. That excellence is reflected in competitive success, but that specific success is not the goal. Excellence first and foremost. To that end, participation, one-on-one coaching, and continuous goal setting, revision, reflection, and recasting is essential.

Auditions for the UT Speech Team typically take place the last Friday in August. For the audition, students should prepare approximately 5 minutes of audition material. You may contact Texas Speech during the week of auditions to schedule a time. Your material may be a speech or performance material, either prepared for a class or for previous speech competition. The audition will be evaluated by members of the coaching staff.

Time Commitment:

College speech is not a club or a hobby. It is a high standards activity that requires constant improvement and one-on-one training. Most students on the team compete in 3-5 categories of competition. Coaching is not done in a classroom or even group setting. The vast majority of training is done in individually scheduled coaching sessions that work around student class schedules. We typically select between 26-30 students for the traveling squad.

There is a class associated with the team, however. Students who are selected are encouraged to take CMS 210 – Forensics Workshop in Individual Events. That class requires instructor consent, but is also the administrative meeting time for the team itself—so you might as well get the academic credit that goes with the effort of competing in college. Once the team selections are announced, you can get the instructor consent form directly from team director Randy Cox. You do not have to take this course, but your attendance is required should you be accepted on the team!

The first task is to gain admission. Please see the official UT website for admissions, at http://bealonghorn.utexas.edu/

Events

Texas Speech students engage in 11 categories of college speech competition, and they are as follows:

Impromptu Speaking:  An impromptu speech, substantive in nature, with topic selections varied by round and by section.  Topics will be derived from quotations.  Speakers will have a total of 7 minutes for both preparation and speaking.  Timing commences with the acceptance of the topics sheet.  Limited notes are permitted.

Informative Speaking:  An original, factual speech by the student on a realist subject to fulfill the general aim to inform the audience.  Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message.  Multiple sources should be used and cited in the development of the speech.  Minimal notes are permitted.  Maximum time is 10 minutes.

Prose Interpretation:  An original or selections of prose material of literary merit, which may be drawn from more than one source.  Focus of this event is on the development of the narrative/story.  Play cuttings and poetry are prohibited.  Use of manuscript is required.  Maximum time is 10 minutes including introduction.

Dramatic Duo:  A cutting from a play or plays of literary merit, humorous or serious, involving the portrayal of two or more characters presented by two individuals.  The material may be drawn from stage, screen, or radio.  This is not an acting event; thus, no costumes, props, lighting, etc., are to be used.  Presentation is from the manuscript and the focus should be off-stage and not to each other.  Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

Extemporaneous Speaking:  Contestants will be given three topics in the general area of current event, choose one, and have 30 minutes to prepare a speech that is the original work of the student.  Maximum time limit for the speech is 7 minutes.  Limited notes are permitted.  Student will speak in listed order.  Postings of topics will be staggered.

Persuasive Speaking:  An original speech by the student designed to inspire, reinforce, or change the beliefs, attitudes, values or actions of the audience.  Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message.  Multiple sources should be used and cited in the development of the speech.  Minimal notes are permitted.  Maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

Program Oral Interpretation:  A program of thematically-linked selections of literary merit, chosen from two or three recognized genres of competitive interpretation (prose/poetry/drama).  A primary focus of this event should be on the development of the theme through the use of narrative/story, language, and/or characterization.  A substantial portion of the total time must be devoted to each of the genres used in the program.  Different genre means the material must appear in separate pieces of literature ( e.g., A poem included in a short story that appears only in that short story does not constitute a poetry genre.)  Only one selection may be original.  Use of manuscript is required.  Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

After Dinner Speaking:  An original, humorous speech by the student, designed to exhibit sound speech composition, thematic, coherence, direct communicative public speaking skills, and good taste.  The speech should not resemble a night club act, an impersonation, or comic dialogue.  Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforced the message.  Minimal notes are permitted.  Maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

Communication Analysis:  An original speech by the student designed to offer an explanation and/or evaluation of a communication event such as a speech, speaker, movement, poem, poster, film, campaign, etc., through the use of rhetorical principles.  Audio-visual aids may or may not be used to supplement and reinforce the message.  Manuscripts are permitted.  Maximum time limit is 10 minutes.

Drama Interpretation:  A cutting that represents one or more characters from a play or plays of literary merit.  The focus of this event is on the development of characterization.  This material may be drawn from stage, screen, or radio.  Use of manuscript is required.  Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

Poetry Interpretation:  A selection or selections of poetry of literary merit, which may be drawn from more than one source.  A primary focus of this event should be on the development of language.  Play cuttings and prose works are prohibited.  Use of manuscript is required.  Maximum time limit is 10 minutes including introduction.

Contact Us:

If you are interested in auditioning or have any questions regarding  the Texas Speech team, please send an email to team director Randy Cox

For more information about the team, its history, and typical travel schedules, please see the team’s website at: http://commstudies.utexas.edu/forensics/speech-team

 

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Feature, Results

Texas Speech Excels Again at NFA!

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The 2015 National Forensic Association collegiate national speech tournament was hosted April 16-20 at the University of Ohio in Athens, OH. The University of Texas Speech Team ranked second nationally out of the 79 colleges and universities entered in the contest, trailing eventual team champions Western Kentucky University. Texas Speech only began attending the NFA contest in 2004 and typically has not sent a full squad to the contest because of the time constraints. This is the first time that the team has placed 2nd overall.

Texas Speech Junior Farrah Bara tied for 2nd in the overall speaker standings, falling to 3rd on the tie breaker. Senior Lario Albarran placed 7th, with Senior Chelsea Sandlin tying for 8th and winning that tie-breaker.

UT Junior and Team Co-Captain Kevin King successfully defended his AFA national championship in Informative Speaking to win his 3rd national title of the year. Junior Farrah Bara also defended her AFA championship in Extemporaneous Speaking to win her 4th national title of the year. She also was the national runner-up in Rhetorical Criticism. Seniors Lario Albarran and Fernando Morales were the national runners-up in Duo Interpretation, missing the championship by one total rank. Morales also placed 4th in Dramatic Interpretation.

Senior and Team Co-Captain Chelsea Sandlin appeared in 3 national final rounds, placing 4th in After Dinner Speaking, 3rd in Prose Interpretation, and 4th in Duo Interpretation with Lario Albarran. Albarran was the only student to advance both of his duo entries to the NFA national final round.

Junior Alexa Thomas placed 5th in Dramatic Interpretation, and Freshman Abigail Onwunali placed 4th in Poetry Interpretation.

Complete results are available at: http://www.speechwire.com/nfa15.pdf

Between the two national contests hosted by the AFA & NFA, for the first time UT students advanced to the national final rounds in all 11 different genres of competition in the same year. The team also recorded a team record 7 individual national championships, with 3 national runners-up.

For more information about Texas Speech, contact Director Randy Cox, Moody College of Communication, at mrcox@austin.utexas.edu

 

Individual Honors Detail

Farrah Bara (Lib Arts – Economics & Global Studies Junior)

  • National Champion, Extemporaneous Speaking
  • National Runner-Up, Rhetorical Criticism
  • 3rd place, Pentathlon (Overall Speaker)
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Informative Speaking
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Persuasive Speaking
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Impromptu Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking

Kevin King (Lib Arts – Government Junior)

  • National Champion, Informative Speaking
  • 6th place, Rhetorical Criticism
  • 17th place, Overall Speaker
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation with Chelsea Sandlin

Chelsea Sandlin (Comm – Public Relations Senior)

  • 8th place, Pentathlon (Overall Speaker)
  • 3rd place, Prose Interpretation
  • 4th place, After Dinner Speaking
  • 4th place, Duo Interpretation with Lario Albarran
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation with Kevin King

Lario Albarran (Lib Arts – Government Senior)

  • 7th place, Pentathlon (Overall Speaker)
  • National Runner-Up, Duo Interpretation with Fernando Morales
  • 4th place, Duo Interpretation with Chelsea Sandlin
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Prose Interpretation
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Dramatic Interpretation
  • National Quarter-Finalist (Top 24), Informative Speaking

Fernando Morales (Comm – Public Relations Senior)

  • National Runner-Up, Duo Interpretation with Lario Albarran
  • 4th place, Dramatic Interpretation

Abigail Onwunali (Undec Freshman)

  • 4th place, Poetry Interpretation
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Dramatic Interpretation
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Prose Interpretation

Alexa Thomas (Comm – Public Relations Junior)

  • 5th place, Dramatic Interpretation

Suchinder Kalyan (Nat Sci – Biochem Sophomore)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Extemporaneous Speaking
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Persuasive Speaking

Yogashri Pradhan (Engr – Petroleum Senior)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Rhetorical Criticism
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24),, Informative Speaking

Arel Rende (Lib Arts – Plan II & Bus Unspec Freshman)

  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Extemporaneous Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Impromptu Speaking

Derrek Chung (Lib Arts – Psychology Sophomore)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Extemporaneous Speaking

Terran Duhon (Lib Arts – Rhetoric & Writing Junior)

  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Persuasive Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking

Caroline Builta (Edu – Elem EC-6)

  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Prose Interpretation
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking

Xavier Clark (Comm – Political Communication Junior)

  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Dramatic Interpretation

Lizzette Marrero (Lib Arts – Government & Global Studies Junior)

  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking

Julio Gonzalez (Lib Arts – Plan II & Comm – Human Relations Sophomore)

  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking

 

Congratulations to the following students who also qualified for the competition, but either were unable to attend or were not advanced to award rounds. They are part of the total team awards, though their contributions were not recognized with individual awards: Cimmiaron Alvarez, Macy Bayern, Alex Bergeron, Blake Bergeron, Thomas Hill, Patrick Lyons, Alex Meed, Cameron Smith, Steven Villescas, Ali Shan Ali Bhai, Marianna Garcia, Cole Hanzlicek, Mary Claire Phillips

Texas Speech is directed by Moody College of Communication/Communication Studies Senior Lecturer Martin R. Cox, assisted by Communication Studies graduate students Benjamin Gaddis and William Mickey Cox.

Additional travel and coaching assistance throughout the year has been provided by Mary Katherine Raffetto (UT Law School), Kevin Giffin (RTF alumnus), Matthew Whitman, Colin Malinak (College of Liberal Arts), Daniel Hatoum (UT Law School), Jason Warren (Communication Studies alumnus), Casimiro Garcia (Communication Studies alumnus), Karon Bowers (LBJ School of Public Affairs alumna), Joseph Faina (Communication Studies graduate program), Shannon Hicks (Communication Studies graduate program) and Jesus Valles.

Additional guidance has been offered by alumni spanning the last 27 years of involvement with Texas Speech. Thank you each and every one!

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Feature, Results

Texas Speech wins 5 national titles!

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The 2015 American Forensic Association national collegiate speech tournament was hosted April 4-6 at Lewis and Clark College in Portland, Oregon. The University of Texas Speech Team ranked second nationally out of 86 colleges and universities who qualified for the contest, trailing eventual team champions Western Kentucky University 520.5-516.5.

George Mason University trailed at 3rd place with 376.5 points, followed by Bradley University with 302, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha with 272.5 to round out the top 5. The remainder of the top 10 included (in order) Illinois State University, the University of Nebraska at Lincoln, the University of Alabama, University of Northern Iowa, and Doane College.

Despite the narrow loss for the overall team title, it was the single best performance ever for University of Texas students. Texas Speech Junior Farrah Bara soundly won the overall individual national championship. Her cumulative score of 147 was 35 points above the second place finisher. She became the fourth student in UT’s history to win that title, also winning national championships in Extemporaneous Speaking and Communication Analysis while placing 3rd in Persuasive Speaking.

UT Junior Kevin King also was awarded 2 national championships, winning both Persuasive and Informative Speaking, and placing 4th overall.

Senior Chelsea Sandlin joined King and Bara in the top five overall speakers in the country, and was recognized with top 6 placements in Dramatic Interpretation and After Dinner Speaking. Senior Fernando Morales was recognized as the 16th overall speaker in the country.

UT was the only college/university to win multiple national titles at the contest, with Texas Speech students winning five of the twelve total individual national championships awarded by the American Forensic Association. In 2005, the team won four national titles. In 2009 students won 5 national titles, but two from the American Forensic Association and three from the National Forensic Association. The team heads next to Athens, Ohio for the National Forensic Association contest, where it hopes to add to what has already been a phenomenal year.

Individual accolades are listed below the break.

Complete results for the national contest are available at: https://www.speechwire.com/afaniet2015.pdf

For more information about the American Forensic Association, see their website at: http://afa-niet.org

For more information about Texas Speech, contact Director Randy Cox, Moody College of Communication, at mrcox@austin.utexas.edu

 

Individual Honors Detail

Farrah Bara (Lib Arts – Economics & Global Studies Junior)

  • National Champion, Overall Speaker
  • National Champion, Communication Analysis
  • National Champion, Extemporaneous Speaking
  • 3rd place, Persuasive Speaking
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Informative Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), After Dinner Speaking
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Impromptu Speaking

Kevin King (Lib Arts – Government Junior)

  • National Champion, Informative Speaking
  • National Champion, Persuasive Speaking
  • 4th place, Overall Speaker
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Dramatic Interpretation
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Program Oral Interpretation

Chelsea Sandlin (Comm – Public Relations Senior)

  • 5th place, Overall Speaker
  • 5th place, After Dinner Speaking
  • 6th place, Dramatic Interpretation
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Program Oral Interpretation
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Prose Interpretation

Fernando Morales (Comm – Public Relations Senior)

  • 16th place, Overall Speaker
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), Dramatic Interpretation
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), Duo Interpretation with Lario Albarran
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), Poetry Interpretation

Arel Rende (Lib Arts – Plan II & Bus Unspec Freshman)

  • National Runner-Up, Extemporaneous Speaking
  • 6th place, Impromptu Speaking

Xavier Clark (Comm – Political Communication Junior)

  • 3rd place, Program Oral Interpretation
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Duo Interpretation with Abigail Onwunali
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Dramatic Interpretation

Ali Shan Ali Bhai (Lib Arts – Plan II & Bus Unspec Sophomore)

  • 5th place, Extemporaneous Speaking
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), Communication Analysis
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Persuasive Speaking

Abigail Onwunali (Undec Freshman)

  • 6th place, Prose Interpretation
  • National Semi-finalist (top 12), Duo Interpretation with Xavier Clark
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Dramatic Interpretation

Yogashri Pradhan (Engr – Petroleum Senior)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Informative Speaking
  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Communication Analysis

Lario Albarran (Lib Arts – Government Senior)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Duo Interpretation with Fernando Morales
  • National Quarter-Finalist (top 24), Poetry Interpretation

Derrek Chung (Lib Arts – Psychology Sophomore)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Extemporaneous Speaking

Marianna Garcia (Comm – Political Communication Freshman)

  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation with Lizzette Marrero

Lizzette Marrero (Lib Arts – Government & Global Studies Junior)

  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation with Alexa Thomas
  • National Quarter-finalist (top 24), Duo Interpretation with Marianna Garcia

Mary Claire Phillips (Lib Arts – Government Freshman) & Cole Hanzlicek (Lib Arts – Government Sophomore)

  • National Quarter-finalists (top 24), Duo Interpretation

Alexa Thomas (Comm – Public Relations Junior)

  • National Quarter-finalists (top 24), Duo Interpretation with Lizzette Marrero

Terran Duhon (Lib Arts – Rhetoric & Writing Junior)

  • National Semi-Finalist (top 12), Persuasive Speaking

 

Congratulations to the following students who also qualified for the competition, but were not advanced to award rounds: Cimmiaron Alvarez, Macy Bayern, Alex Bergeron, Blake Bergeron, Caroline Builta, Julio Gonzalez, Thomas Hill, Suchinder Kalyan, Patrick Lyons, Alex Meed, Cameron Smith, Steven Villescas

Texas Speech is directed by Moody College of Communication/Communication Studies Senior Lecturer Martin R. Cox, assisted by Communication Studies graduate students Benjamin Gaddis and William Mickey Cox.

Additional assistance throughout the year has been provided by in-house and traveling coaches including Mary Katherine Raffetto (UT Law School), Kevin Giffin (RTF alumnus), Matthew Whitman, Colin Malinak (College of Liberal Arts), Daniel Hatoum (UT Law School), Jason Warren (Communication Studies alumnus), Casimiro Garcia (Communication Studies alumnus), Karon Bowers (LBJ School of Public Affairs alumna), Joseph Faina (Communication Studies graduate program), Shannon Hicks (Communication Studies graduate program) and Jesus Valles.

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Team

Freshman Spotlight: Macy Bayern

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Meet our 2014-2015 Freshman Class!

MACY

Name: Macy Bayern

Hometown: San Antonio, TX

High school: Saint Mary’s Hall

Major Concentration: Liberal Arts Honors-English

Events you are doing this year: Prose and Duo.

How long have you been doing speech?

This is my 6th year doing speech.

What is your favorite thing about forensics?

I love speech because it enables me to be a catalyst for thought–to make an impact.

What is your favorite thing about UT?

The environment: UT facilitates individuality, while still fostering a sense of community.  

The coaches are…

Incredible. They are some of, if not the most, selfless people I’ve ever met. They give so much coaching time and genuinely want to help us be the best versions of ourselves. I am so thankful for them.

Best advice you’ve ever received:

“Stressing out doesn’t relieve stress…but ice cream does.”

Describe yourself in three words:

Driven, Altruistic, Reliable

What is your spirit animal?

Chipmunk

Favorite Color:

Blue

Favorite Food:

Sour Skittles

In 15 minutes…

I see myself meeting up with a friend to walk to class.

In 15 years…

I see myself as an English professor, hoping to sufficiently help and educate others.

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Freshman Spotlight: Abigail Onwunali

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Meet our 2014-2015 Freshman Class!

Name: Abigail Chinazam Onwunali

Hometown: Houston, Texas

High school: Alief Hastings High School

Major Concentration: Chemistry

Events you are doing this year: Dramatic Interpretation, POI, Prose, Duo

How long have you been doing speech?

I have been doing speech for 3 and a half years.

What is your favorite thing about forensics?

The beauty of creating your pieces and making them come to life.

What is your favorite thing about UT?

My favorite thing about UT is that I feel like I am part of a beautiful family that truly cares about me. It is a loving environment filled with talenedt and ambitious young people.

The team is…. 

My shelter. They have been a shield of protection since the minute I stepped foot on campus.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

 “Have fun Abigail, and don’t let anything stand in your way.”

Describe yourself in three words.

Ambitious, Caring, and Hardworking

What is your spirit animal?

Tiger

What is your favorite color?

Purple

What is your favorite food?

Rice Crispy Treat

In 15 minutes… I see myself 

Going to my statistics class.

In 15 years… I see myself

Making a difference in the world by finding a cure for major diseases.

 

 

 

 

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Join the Legacy Project!

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Donate to the Texas Speech Endowment for Excellence!

Established in 2007 with seed money from a group of alumni including the current director, the Endowment provides continuing support for the team’s travel and scholarship needs. Our goal is to create a $1,000,000 endowment that will insure the continuing legacy of Texas Speech. You can donate online or download a contribution form.

Make your single or recurring pledge and help to make sure that the Texas Speech Legacy continues to make a difference!

Legacy

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Results, Team

NFA 2012 National Results!

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The University of Texas Speech Team travelled to Athens, Ohio, for the National Forensics Association national contest, hosted by Ohio University from April 19-23, 2012. Following up on a phenomenal AFA performance, the team also had its best performance to date at the NFA contest.

While historically, the University of Texas has been primarily associated with the American Forensic Association, Texas Speech first attended the NFA tournament in 2004, with student Ben Robin representing the University of Texas there for the first time in honor of the late Eddie Myers, previously the tournament director for the NFA and a great friend of the UT Speech Program. Attending the tournament by himself, Ben was recognized by winning first place in the President’s Division III small schools sweepstakes. Since that first visit, UT students have been awarded national titles 7 times at the contest, with UT Senior William Igbokwe as the recipient of the 2012 national title in Persuasive Speaking.

A complete list of awards for 2012 is included below:

3rd place Open Division Sweepstakes

National Champion, Persuasive Speaking: William Igbokwe

12th place Pentath (Overall Speaker): Christy Liu

National Finalists:

6th place, Prose Interpretation: Melissa Lamb

4th place, Editorial Impromptu: Kevin Chiu

5th place, After Dinner Speaking: William Igbokwe

3rd place, Rhetorical Criticism: Christy Liu

6th place, Informative Speaking: Kile Akerman

 

National Semi-Finalists (top 12 nationally):

Kile Akerman, Prose Interpretation

William Igbokwe, Extemporaneous Speaking

Christy Liu, Extemporaneous Speaking

Nathan Rarick, After Dinner Speaking

Kevin Giffin, Dramatic Interpretation

Kile Akerman, Persuasive Speaking

Christy Liu, Informative Speaking

Christy Liu, Impromptu Speaking

 

National Quarter-Finalists (top 24 nationally):

William Igbokwe, Impromptu Speaking

Matt King, Informative Speaking

Kile Akerman, Dramatic Interpretation

Taylor Adams, Prose Interpretation

Austin Witherspoon, Prose Interpretation

David Wang, Extemporaneous Speaking

Jaime Garcia, Extemporaneous Speaking

Daniel Hatoum, Extemporaneous Speaking

Nathan Rarick, Informative Speaking

Jaime Garcia, Impromptu Speaking

Alex Hatoum, Impromptu Speaking

Melissa Lamb & Jeremy Vandermause, Duo Interpretation

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Results, Team

AFA 2012 National Results!

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Congratulations to the UT Speech Team and its performance at the 2012 American Forensic Association -National Individual Events Tournament, hosted this year at Texas State University – San Marcos. The team advanced 35 entries to the elimination rounds. Though it was not enough to overtop eventual team champions Bradley University, it was the best performance ever by a UT squad at the AFA contest. This was a very complete team effort. Of the 23 students entered at the tournament, 19 received individual awards (detail below), while senior Christy Liu was also recognized as an All-American and 8th overall speaker. Seniors Christy Liu (Extemp) and William Igbokwe (Persuasion) were awarded UT’s 35th and 36th individual national titles, while Igbokwe also completed his tenure as the 2011-12 National Student Representative to the NIET Executive Council.

A huge thanks goes to the team’s coaches for 2011-12, director Randy Cox, graduate assistants Leah Lefevbre and Brandon Anderson, and alumni Aviva Pinchas, Mary Kate Raffetto, Brendan Chan, Nance Riffe, Bryan Gray, Christopher Mendez, Kevin Chiu, and many others who have provided time and attention throughout the entire year.

2nd place, Overall Team: University of Texas at Austin

National Champion, Extemporaneous Speaking: Christy Liu

National Champion, Persuasive Speaking: William Igbokwe

AFA All-American: Christy Liu

8th place, Overall Speaker: Christy Liu

 

National Finalists:

National Runner-Up, Impromptu Speaking: Rahul Sangal

3rd place, Persuasive Speaking: Kyle Akerman

3rd place, Extemporaneous Speaking: Daniel Hatoum

4th place, Extemporaneous Speaking: Rahul Sangal

6th place, Extemporaneous Speaking: David Wang

 

National Semi-Finalists (Top 12 nationally):

Daniel Hatoum, Impromptu Speaking

Christy Liu, Impromptu Speaking

Jaime Garcia, Extemporaneous Speaking

Lario Albarran & Fernando Morales, Duo Interpretation

Jeremy Vandermause & Kevin Giffin, Duo Interpretation

Matt King, Program Oral Interpretation

Chelsea Rodriguez, Program Oral Interpretation

Chelsea Sandlin, Prose Interpretation

Christy Liu, After Dinner Speaking

Taylor Adams, After Dinner Speaking

Alex Hatoum, Informative Speaking

 

National Quarter-Finalists (Top 24 nationally):

Alex Hatoum, Impromptu Speaking

Jaime Garcia, Impromptu Speaking

William Igbokwe, Extemporaneous Speaking

Jeremy Vandermause & Melissa Lamb, Duo Interpretation

Kyle Akerman, Dramatic Interpretation

Melissa Lamb, Dramatic Interpretation

Nathan Rarick, Dramatic Interpretation

Jeremy Vandermause, Dramatic Interpretation

Kyle Akerman, Poetry Interpretation

Melissa Lamb, Prose Interpretation

Kevin Giffin, Prose Interpretation

William Igbokwe, After Dinner Speaking

Daniel Hatoum, After Dinner Speaking

Rahul Sangal, Communication Analysis

Colin Malinak, Communication Analysis

Kyle Akerman, Informative Speaking

Nathan Rarick, Informative Speaking

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From camper to performer

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Reflections by Brendan Chan

Brendan with Nicole Kreisberg, who would later become his teammate, and John Michael Guavara

As a recent graduate and new alum of the UT Speech Team, I can say that the four years I spent as a competitor, officer, and Captain on the team had a deep and profound impact on my life. I would not be the same person that I am today without my time in UT Speech, and I know that I wouldn’t have ever been on the team without attending UTNIF.

To be honest, I went to UTNIF by accident. I had intended on going to a local camp in my hometown of San Antonio but that fell through, so I applied to UTNIF at the last minute. It seemed like something that would be fun (and it was) but I had no idea that it would change my life forever. I attended UTNIF the summer before my senior year of high school back in 2006 and it was the experience that sparked my dedication to speech and debate.

Former team captains and duo partners Joe and Brendan during their time at UTNIF

On almost every night of UTNIF, there is a Performance Hour where campers get to watch 3-4 performances put on by various counselors and Texas Speech Team members. As an excited 17-year-old camper, I thought Performance Hour was the best thing ever. I got to see amazing performers doing things I had never even imagined were possible in performance. The whole experience really just opened my eyes to the endless possibilities that existed in speech and helped me fall in love with the activity.

Fast forward two years to right after I had just completed my freshman year at UT and I’m sitting in a suit in an auditorium waiting to perform at Performance Hour during UTNIF. I remember that it felt so weird to be on the other side of things—I could vividly remember sitting in the audience and almost worshipping anyone who graced the stage at Performance Hour. How could I be one of those performers now? Would the students at UTNIF like my performance? What if I messed up?

I performed my heart out that night and have continued to do so every summer since then. Getting to return to UTNIF and share what I’ve learned as a member of the Texas Speech Team is almost a surreal experience, but it is one that I am truly thankful for.

5 years later, Brendan and Joe shared their final performance in speech together

This past weekend, I got to perform two different Duos from my senior year. Both of them were alongside two of my best friends, one of whom I attended UTNIF with, started and ended my time at UT with, and experienced my last performance in competitive speech with.

I can only hope that one day, there will be more students who sit where I sat three summers ago, nervously preparing to step on that stage and having never thought that it was possible to be a performer at UTNIF. UT Speech helped dramatically change the course of my life and is so tightly intertwined with my college experience. Sometimes, I am still in disbelief as to how many amazing things had to fall into place to lead me where I am now, but I am thankful every single day for my time on the Texas Speech Team, and I know that everything started at UTNIF.

 

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