Team Readies to Move to Hunter Conservatory!

The team is preparing to move into the Hunter Conservatory, a.k.a. the new and improved Old Music Building. The team's new home will host the Writing Center, audiovisual service, and rhetoric and public address department. The construction is ahead of schedule and below cost! Come this August, there will be video cameras for reviewing speeches, new practice rooms, computers, workspaces, and the team assistant, Abby the Terminator, gets her own office. Everyone will find peace of mind because Abby will have her own workspace far, far away from the team. J

Contributions to the Walker Fund are appreciated!

Thanks for your contributions to the Walker Speech and Debate Fund! Generous Spring '98 donors include Megan Medica, John Miller, Hariette Small, Jared Phillips, Loan Lam, Daphne Teals, and Drummond Kahn. If we missed you, tell us because all contributions made to the Walker Fund are appreciated greatly!

Contributions to the Walker Fund should be sent to:

Annual Fund Office
Whitman College
Walla Walla WA 99362

Checks should be made to Whitman College with a note that says to place the contribution into the Walker Fund.

The layout for the "Rhetoric Floor" in Hunter shows the team and department have new and excellent facilities.

Some Awards to Talk About!

Sean Harris '98 and Adam Symonds '99 were honored at the CEDA National Championship Tournament for their participation in debate, academics, and their communities. Sean received the All-American Award for his outstanding debate ability and contribution to the debate community. Adam received the prestigious Scholastic Debater Award for being both an outstanding debater and scholar. Adam maintains a high GPA which is not an easy task for someone who spends so much of his time working on debate and with his sweet girlfriend.

Intramural Debates Heat Up Campus

Whitman College has a long history of intramural debate on campus, a history revived in the 1990's by the squad and President Thomas Cronin. Anyone not on the full-time forensics team may compete in these fun and educational debates. This year saw continued growth in intramural debate participation with new faces and more debates and awards than in past years. Abby St. Lawrence, coordinator this year, encouraged and sometimes lovingly coerced many campus groups to compete in the afternoon affairs. Abby has done an outstanding job of single-handedly organizing and running the event, and plans to keep debates running on time next year. Check the table for the winners!

1998 Champions

Experienced
First, Jason Liu
Second, Chiasha Dickens
Third, Keola Whittaker
Third, Derek Banducci
Inexperienced
First, Melissa Richman
Second, Eric Odegard
Third, Justin Vitcov

First Spring '98 Contest

Experienced
First, Jason Liu
Second, Keola Whittaker
Third, Matt Vandenburg
Inexperienced
First, Heather Waite
Second, Bill Burkoth
Third, Thad Tierney

Second Spring '98 Contest

Experienced
First, Chiasha Dickens
Second, Jason Liu
Third, Derek Banducci
Inexperienced
First, Melissa Richman
Second, Danica Noble
Third, Heather Waite

Jessica Clarke and Lisa Beyl talk with Abby St. Lawrence whose is tabulating intramural debate results while Jim (hidden in the background) reads the Pio school newspaper.

CEDA Continues to Move up in the Rankings

J.P. Lacy and Becky Galentine smile. Their hard work paid off as the CEDA-NDT team had one of its most successful years ever.

The CEDA/NDT team had an outstanding second semester! Beware, the next few paragraphs will amaze and astound because Whitman has done it again. Whitman brought home more trophies and qualified more students to nationals than ever before! Major accomplishments include veterans senior Sean Harris and junior Adam Symonds, and the ever adorable sophomore Jessica Clarke and first year student Ryan Scoville closing out both spring NFC designated tournaments. Sean Harris and Adam won the Northwest CEDA Championship Tournament, Whitman's first ever! Whitman qualified two teams to the NDT, the only school in the Northwest to qualify teams. First year students Sean Collins and Mike Caughey took third place at Southern Illinois University and tied for first place at the University of Southern California with sophomore Lisa Beyl and junior Matt Johnson (who usually did parli this year). In Public CEDA, a new slower version of policy debate, sophomore Bobby deGrouchy and first year student Keola Whittaker placed 1st at the Whitman Tournament. Jessica and Ryan took 17th and Sean Harris and Adam took 9th place at CEDA Nationals (losing a close 2-1 decision to the team that took first place--the second year in a row which that has happened!). The team's trophy cases are overflowing with trophies, and they would not have it any other way!

Additional accomplishments include Mike and Lisa placing 5th at Whitman. Jessica and Ryan placed 17th at USC, 1st at PLU, 5th at WWU, 17th at Heart of America, 1st at Whitman, and 2nd at the NW NDT Qualifier. Continuing Whitman's winning streak Sean Harris and Adam placed 9th at USC-Long Beach, 1st at PLU, 17th at Northwestern, 1st at Whitman, and 1st at the NW NDT Qualifiers. Individually the team brought home many, many speaker awards (okay, this is overload, but here goes). At USC in Junior Division, Sean Collins took 1st, Matt 2nd, Mike 3rd, Lisa 4th and Adam placed 14th in Open. At CSU-Long Beach Sean Harris took 14th and Adam 6th in Open. At PLU in Open, Adam took 1st, Sean Harris 2nd, Ryan 3rd, and Sean Collins and Jessica tied for 5th. At Southern Illinois University Ryan placed 10th in Open, and Sean Collins took 2nd and Mike 3rd in Junior. At WWU Ryan was 10th in Open. At Whitman Adam tied with his partner, Sean Harris, for 1st speaker, Ryan was 4th,, and Jessica 5th. At the Northwest CEDA Championship Adam tied for 4th and Sean Harris tied for 7th. Finally at CEDA Nationals, Adam was 20th, Ryan 23rd, Sean Harris 34th, and Jessica 32nd. Congratulations to all of Whitman's fine speakers! While both of Whitman's teams lost their break rounds and went 4-4 at the NDT, their ability to qualify and do so well speaks volumes for future success!

Ryan Scoville had an outstanding season as a first year student including taking 17th at the CEDA National Championship Tournament.

Parliamentary Debate Takes 12th in the Nation!

Matt Johnson had a very successful season.

Whitman's parliamentary debate team talked their way into 12th place out of 180 schools. The Twin Davids, Kearney and Perry, debated like national champions during the season. This dynamic duo placed 2nd at Willamette University, 5th at Point Loma, 5th at DSR-TKA Nationals, and 17th at the National Parliamentary Debate Association National Championship. David Kearney received many individual speaker awards including 8th at Willamette, 12th at Point Loma, 4th at Whitman, 6th at DSR-TKA Nationals, and 21st at NPDA Nationals. David's partner, Dave Perry, was not just another pretty face as he received speaker recognition for placing 13th at Point Loma and 9th at Whitman. David and Dave received a standing ovation at NPDA Nationals when they collected their 17th place trophies. David is well known for his professor-like bow ties while Dave can not be missed with his booming voice (which is why his nickname is Boomer). The Davids are highly respected among the debate community and their presence as outstanding competitors will be missed in the Northwest and national competition!

The whit and style of sophomore Brant Olson and the logic of junior Matt Johnson exhibited Whitman's excellence in parliamentary debate. Brant and Matt did very well this semester placing 5th at Willamette, 17th at Point Loma, and 3rd at Whitman. Brant and Matt culminated their season with a 9th place showing at the NPDA National Championship. This is the team's first year in parliamentary competition (Matt had done CEDA previously). Brant will be spending next year learning Japanese in Japan, but plans to return after that. Matt will be back next year as a formidable debater and team leader.

Continuing the Whitman winning tradition the team of first year student Brian Danielson and sophomore Akshay Garg placed 5th at Whitman. Brian and Akshay lost their break round at NPDA Nationals. Brian and Akshay's 4 wins and 4 losses record at Nationals spoke volumes for their potential and future success. Brian is most known for his love of Chile's social security system. Brian also received individual recognition taking 10th speaker in junior division at PLU and 5th at the WWU William O. Douglas Invitational. Brian's partner, Akshay, is known for having an unlimited knowledge of foreign affairs. When we say unlimited we mean more than Madeline Albright! Akshay has received individual speaker awards including 1st at Western Washington and 8th at Whitman.

Parliamentary debate has flourished throughout the year. Whitman is blessed with very interactive and encouraging team members. During competitions seniors took the time to discuss judges, opposing teams, and debate strategies. Between rounds, teammates discussed debates, introduced each other to rival teams, judges and coaches, and continued Whitman's winning tradition.

Also competing in parliamentary debate at the Whitman Tournament, Whitman had four teams that just missed advancing to outrounds. Appearing for the first time, first year students Thad Tierney and Brendon Nafzinger debated like champions. Thad and Brendon had never debated before, but were convincing enough to build a strong reputation for themselves among their fellow competitors. Lea Rees and Tony Torres in junior division acted like winners by helping new team members learn the ropes of tournament life (which is basically to do whatever Jim says). In novice division first year student Aaron Walters joined up with a partner from the University of Washington. Aaron is truly dedicated to the event because he can adapt with any partner. Thumbs up to Aaron for helping out another squad! Whitman's final team in junior division consisted of first year students Kelly Schultz and Patricia Bayley. These two sweethearts won over their competition with their arguments and confident personalities. They are women, hear them debate with class, good fashion sense, and unbeatable arguments!

David Kearney is proud of the success he and Dave Perry shared this year in Parliamentary debate.

Changes in the Coaching Staff

Diana Thomson and Abby St. Lawrence share a happy moment.

Whitman's speech and debate team will be seeing familiar faces in the coming year. Continuing his quest for truth, justice and the first place title in the Northwest, Dr. Jim Hanson is happy with the team's success this season. With Jim's new status as "Dr.," he will have even more time to spread some major motivation as he leads the team to victory. Coming back for his second year, J.P. Lacy will continue to assist the CEDA/NDT side of the team. Don't be searching for JP's face over the summer because he will be spending much of his break researching and skiing in Switzerland, and working at debate institutes until the season resumes in August.

While the team is excited to maintain old faces, they will be saying bon voyage to two coaches. Assistant IE & parliamentary debate coach Diana Thomson will be returning to sunny Nebraska to spend time with friends and family as she pursues a degree in law. David Kearney, who was an outstanding team member, will fill Diana's position. David graduated with honors and distinction in philosophy. Also leaving the team is Ryan J. Hagemann, assistant coach of IE's and parliamentary debate (and an admissions officer on the side). Ryan has been accepted to the University of Oregon Law School and is eager to get started on his new career. While the team is excited to have an outstanding coaching staff next year, Diana and Ryan's presence will be missed. Best wishes to them!

Adam Symonds will return next year after an incredibly successful season including placing 9th in the nation.