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UCA Debate and Forensics Placed at 2022 IPDA Competition

UCA Debate and Forensics competed at the 2022 International Public Debate Association National Championship and brought home some wins.

Jayce Burney won 1st place in the Professional Division, 6th place Professional Speaker Award, and 4th place speaker in the Team IPDA Division. @jayce_burney

Aurora King won 6th place Speaker in the Division and received recognition as a Tournament Octafinalist. @aurora.kings

Adam Cox won 2nd place Speaker in the Division and received Tournament Quarterfinalist. @coxadam200

C. J.  Parrish won 3rd place IPDA Speaker Award as well as Varsity Division Octafinalist. @craigoryparrish

The International Public Debate Association is an interscholastic debate association with competitive programs ranging from California to Florida and from Texas to Michigan.  Their mission is to provide an opportunity for individuals to develop their advocacy skills in a forum that promotes appropriate and effective communication.

The team is coached by Associate Professor of Business Law and Director of Forensics Anthony McMullen.

 

Posted in: Alumni, Awards, Faculty, Public Relations, Student Media, Student Organizations, Students on May 13, 2022 Tagged: , , , , , ,

Arkansas College Media Association 2022 Awards

The Arkansas College Media Association (ACMA) named The Echo as College Newspaper of the Year and Addison Freeman won Reporter of the Year.

News6 also won Television Outlet of the Year by the ACMA.

Students from News6 won the following awards:

  • Interpretative and Investigative Reporting Award
    • 1st place: Trevor Cook
    • 2nd place: Chase Mauk
  • News Reporting Award
    • 1st place: Ladell Tyler
    • 3rd place: Berris Teague
  • Sports Feature Award
    • 2nd place: Thomas Gillette
    • 3rd place: Brett Walker
    • Honorable Mention: Brett Walker
  • Weather Award
    • 2nd place: Anthony Reiter, Trevor Cook, and Collin Gallimore

ACMA is composed of student media outlets at public and private two-year and four-year colleges and universities in Arkansas.

 

Posted in: Alumni, Awards, Faculty, Journalism, Student Organizations, Students on May 12, 2022 Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

2021 SoC student award winners named

The School of Communication recognized several outstanding students during its annual awards ceremony held via Zoom on Tuesday, April 13, 2021.

Principles of Communication

Olive M. Hilliard Speech Showcase
  • Nicole Vincent, first place
  • Lamar Williams, second place
  • Joanna Arechiga, third place

First-Year Writing

Write-On Contest
  • Jaden Fleeks, first place
  • Ari Long, first runner up
  • Maya Giuffria, second runner up
InkWire Research Contest
  • Aurora King, first place
  • Maja Gledic, first runner up
  • Lona Ceccherini, second runner up

Communication

Glenn D. Smith Outstanding Student in Communication Award
  • Jamaal Lockings

Journalism

Harry S. Ashmore Outstanding Student in Journalism Award
  • Lauren McLemore
Outstanding Broadcasting Student
  • Austin Ashley
Outstanding Online Student
  • Alyssa Sparks

Public Relations

Alma O. Corley Outstanding Student in Public Relations Award
  • Jamaal Lockings
Public Relations Student Society of America Member of the Year- University of Central Arkansas Chapter
  • Shay Box
Client’s Choice Award for Best Capstone PR Plan, Fall 2020
  •  Spencer Casavechia, Ethan Dolan, Payton Hamric, Amelia Mackey and Rachel White
  • Client: Dolly Parton Imagination Library
Client’s Choice Award for Best Introduction to Public Relations Plan, Spring 2020
  • Mia Burrell, Mary Buddenberg, Lola Simmons and Nate Fielder
  • Client: Conway Men’s Chorus
Client’s Choice Award for Best Introduction to Public Relations Plan, Fall 2020
  • Hannah Phillips
  • Client: School of Communication
PR Pro’s Choice Award for Public Relations Techniques Best Mock News Conference, Spring 2021
  • Callie Ketcher, Morgan Trent

Writing

Joanna Castner Post Outstanding Student in Writing Award
  • Emily Dye
Up-and-Coming Major
  • Katy Reagan
Best Multimodal Project
  • Anna Van, Kaitlyn Bannon, Brandon Donaldson
Best Community Engagement Project
  • Harrison Hite, Kyrece Lasker, Greta Hacker
Best Scholarly Essay
  • Greta Hacker
Posted in: Awards, Communication, Journalism, Public Relations, Student Organizations, Students, Writing on April 17, 2021 Tagged: , , , , , , , ,

UCA Debate and Forensics Finishes its Virtual Season

UCA Debate and Forensics concluded its 2020-21 season by competing at the IPDA National Championship on April 9-11. Members of the team include seniors David Lee, Greta Hacker, Lauren McHenry, and Eli Stroud; junior Adam Cox; and sophomores Jayce Burney, Sian Fox, Aurora King, and C.J. Parrish. Additional support was provided by Nicole Vincent, Gavin Mattox, and Isaiah Williams. The team is coached by Associate Professor of Business Law and Director of Forensics Anthony McMullen.

At the Championship, Varsity debaters Lee and Parrish both reached the elimination rounds with a 6-2 preliminary round record. Both were eliminated in the octafinals. Varsity debater Burney barely missed the elimination rounds with a 4-4 record. In addition, at the Team IPDA portion of the event, which took place March 27-28, the team of Burney and Parrish reached the quarterfinal round.

For the season, UCA Debate and Forensics finished sixth in the Varsity division and eighth and the Team IPDA division. The team of Burney and Parrish finished ninth in the Team IPDA division. Burney finished tied for 15th in the Varsity division. Lee finished in 19th place, and Parrish, Hacker, and McHenry all placed within the top 30 competitors in the division.

These accolades are in addition to those earned through the semester. Most prominent is UCA Debate and Forensics repeating as Arkansas State Champion at the Southern Forensics Championship last January. Cox was the Arkansas Champion and overall tournament runner-up in the Varsity IPDA division. Burney was a varsity IPDA semifinalist and took second in the individual overall sweepstakes. Parrish was recognized as the top Arkansas speaker in the Varsity IPDA division, the Arkansas Champion in impromptu speaking, and placed third in the individual overall sweepstakes. Lee was the Arkansas Champion in extemporaneous speaking and poetry interpretation.

The team will be having its final meeting of the semester on Monday, April 19 to discuss plans for next year. While the team appreciated having a virtual forum to compete this year, it looks forward to returning to travel in the 2021-22 season. The goal will be to travel to at least four events each semester, concluding with the 2022 IPDA National Championship, which will be hosted by Abilene Christian University. Those interested in joining the team should contact any member of team or Director McMullen at AMcMullen@uca.edu.

Posted in: Communication, Public Relations, Student Organizations, Students on April 12, 2021 Tagged:

Students win awards at Southern Forensics Championship

Several students from the School of Communication won awards at the Southern Forensics Championship, which was held online Jan. 29-31, 2021.

  • Adam Cox, public relations major and communication minor: Varsity International Public Debate Association, SFC Tournament Runner-Up and Arkansas Champion
  • Jayce Burney, public relations minor: Varsity IPDA Semifinalist; Extemporaneous Speaking Third Place; Impromptu Speaking Fourth Place; Second Place Individual Overall Sweepstakes
  • Greta Hacker, professional writing minor: Varsity IPDA Octofinalist
  • CJ Parrish, public relations and communication double major: Varsity IPDA Third Place Speaker and Arkansas Speaker Champion; Extemporaneous Speaking Fourth Place; Impromptu Speaking Third Place and Arkansas Champion; Third Place Individual Overall Sweepstakes
  • David Lee, communication minor: Extemporaneous Speaking Second Place and Arkansas Champion; Poetry Interpretation Sixth Place and Arkansas Champion

UCA Debate and Forensics

  • Third Place and Arkansas Champion: Individual Events
  • Arkansas Champion Overall

Participants

  • David Lee, Adam Cox, Lauren McHenry, Greta Hacker, CJ Parrish, Jayce Burney

Judges

  • Aurora King, Eli Stroud, Sian Fox
Posted in: Awards, Student Organizations, Students on March 12, 2021 Tagged: