The UCA Debate team recently began its 2007-08 schedule with two UCA competitors posting winning records and advancing to elimination rounds at the 33rd annual Weevil Wars Debate Tournament sponsored by the University of Arkansas at Monticello.
Sophomores Angela Branch and Kenneth Savage and freshman Lewis Wharton participated in their first collegiate tournaments at the IPDA-sanctioned (International Public Debate Association) tournament. Savage had a 5-1 record in preliminary rounds and reached the octa-finals in the novice division, while Wharton went 4-2 in prelims and was a quarterfinalist in the varsity division.
“I’m very proud of the debaters,” said coach Anthony McMullen. “They went to the tournament with little experience, but made up it for it with enthusiasm and hard work. I look forward to seeing how much better our team will become throughout the year.”
The UCA debate team will next compete Nov. 9-11 at Louisiana State University at Shreveport. The team is coached by McMullen and Department of Speech and Public Relations adjunct instructor Mark Lowery. The debate team is an approved university activity of the Department of Speech and Public Relations.
IPDA promotes public forum debate, a format that uses public speaking skills and logic to build persuasive argumentation aimed at a general audience. IPDA (www.ipdadebate.org) focuses on enhancing education, rhetorical skill building and the development of fellowship. It is meant to apply critical thinking and oratorical skills in developing persuasive arguments with real-world applications on a broad range of interesting and timely topics.
