Summer 2001
Vol. 6. No. 1

Forensics Team Places Fifth in the Nation

The Truman State University Forensics team placed fifth in the National Forensics Association Tournament. The Truman team received the highest number of honors ever in individual events for the Truman program.

The team placed fifth in the nation in President's Division I Sweepstakes. This is a cumulative ranking system that compares the combined efforts of the individual students from each college and university competing.

Ian Samuel, freshman computer science major from Colorado Springs, Colo., placed second in the nation in after-dinner speaking. He achieved the highest ranking a Truman student has ever received in the national individual events competition.

Heather Carmack, sophomore communication arts major from Savannah, Mo., reached the quarter-finals of rhetorical criticism. Robert B. Layne II, senior communication arts major from Kansas City, Mo., was a quarter-finalist in impromptu speaking and an octa-finalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

Shane Mecham, senior political science major from Omaha, Neb., was a quarter-finalist in extemporaneous speaking, after-dinner speaking, and impromptu speaking and an octa-finalist in Lincoln-Douglas debate.

The Truman team outranked several nationally prominent institutions, such as Northwestern, Cornell and New York University. The grand total of trophies and other awards won by the Truman forensics team program numbered 404 for the 2000-01 season.